A Man Alone
by Stormfalcon
Summary: This takes place 20 years after the game and Cloud has left his friends only to return when he gets a note from them saying that they need him. Cloud must go on a journey and find out if he can survive prophecy.
1.

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy 7 or any of its characters

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy 7 or any of its characters.

A Man Alone

It had been 20 years since Meteor had been stopped by Cloud and his friends. They had been heroes and everyone had known who they were but fame wasn't something that Cloud had ever wanted. At least not after he had seen what it had done to his idol Sephiroth. That kind of fame Cloud had decided that no one really needed since it would drive a person mad.

After they had saved the world Cloud had not felt that much better. Aeris had been killed in the attempt and he had failed to save her. He would never forgive himself for that and to tell the truth he never wanted to be forgiven for the act. It was his fault she was dead and there was no other way around it.

His friends had tried to tell him different but he knew better. She would never have been along if he had been strong enough to tell her that she wasn't wanted on the quest. If he had been strong enough to tell her to stay home where it was safe instead of running off to fight evil with him for no reason.

Cloud shook his head at the memories. He would not shed a tear since that would belittle her at least in his own mind. She had been strong and hadn't cried as the blade had plunged into her chest so he would be strong for her and never shed a tear of sadness for her. He felt that she wouldn't want that.

Just then he felt a splash of water on his face and he licked the water off his lips. The water tasted of Salt just like he knew it would. It was the ocean water that had splashed him. He was on a ship called the Mermaid and it was taking him to the city Costa Del Sol. There he was going to see all of his old friends who had bought houses there and decided to settle down. 

Cloud was surprised to find out that Tifa had bought a house there as well instead of moving back to her hometown of Nibelheim. He had thought that she would go there but she had surprised him and moved to Costa Del Sol. Red had moved back to Cosmo Canyon as Cloud had known he would so he wouldn't be there to meet him at Costa Del Sol but Cloud knew that Red would be with him in spirit. Cait Sith wouldn't be there either because he was back to his old job. That or he was dead and Cloud couldn't be sure which one it would be since Cait Sith was so damn annoying. Cloud wouldn't be surprised if he was dead.

The rest of the group would be there as well Barrat, Yuffie, Cid, Vincent, and lastly Tifa. He didn't and he did want to see her. He owed her an explanation for why he had left and he knew that she would want one. Cloud's vision blurred and he shook his head thinking that it was some of the ocean water in his eyes making his vision blur. He never knew how much he loved her until she was never around. He had loved her with all his heart and yet that wasn't enough because he feared for her if he was around. He felt that she would be a target if he was around and he couldn't live with that. He had decided that he would rather be alone then have her in harms way.

The ship rolled beneath his feet but he was used to the feeling and it didn't throw him off balance. He watched as Costa Del Sol came into view in the distance and a knot tightened in his stomach. He knew why it was there but it didn't make it go away. He was nervous about seeing his friends for the first time in nearly twenty years.

Cloud decided that he needed to get his equipment ready so that he could depart the ship as soon as it docked. He went to his room on the ship and looked around. He had been on the ship for more than three weeks and the room was as close to a home as he had had in the last twenty years. 

Cloud walked over to where his backpack was and started to pack what few things he had. He packed his few cloths as well as some food that he had with him. He never went anywhere without at least a few rations. He then picked up from the dresser that was bolted down a picture of Tifa. He looked at it and then gently rolled it in a shirt and placed it in his backpack. Then he walked over to where his sword was propped against the wall and picked it up.

Cloud gazed at his old friend. His sword was the companion that he had always had and would always have. It would never fail him as long as he took care of it. The blade was his blade that he used to kill Sephorith with. He opened the dresser and picked up the materia that was there. He put them in the blade and then watched his reflection in the mirror-like surface of his companion. He hadn't aged in twenty years. He should have had a few lines on his face or his muscles starting to go soft but there was no hint of either of those things. He then sheathed the sword on his back. Cloud wasn't one to really rely on the materia anymore but he always liked to have it around just in case he needed the magic.

Cloud grabbed his backpack and slung it over his shoulder and headed back to the bow of the ship. Once there he wondered what his friends needed. He had gotten a letter from Tifa saying that she along with the rest of them needed to talk to him. They wanted him to come and see them. 

Cloud closed his eyes then and just waited for the word that they had docked. After awhile he got the word from the captain that it was time to leave the ship and so Cloud leapt from the ship on down to the docks and headed into town. There were more people there than Cloud remembered but that didn't really bother him.

Cloud headed down the streets and came to a corner that he remembered all too well. He remembered Red sitting against a wall with some kids kicking a ball at him trying to get him to play with them. Cloud smiled sadly at the memory. Those memories were too few that he had.

Cloud pulled out the sheet of paper with the note on it. The note that said that his friends had wanted to talk to him. In that note were the directions to Tifa's house where they would all meet. He hoped that he was the last one there because if he was the first one there then he would have to deal with Tifa and he didn't know if he was tough enough to do that.

Cloud turned down a side street and was hit right in the chest by a young woman. She had long brown hair and was wearing a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. She looked vaguely familiar but he couldn't put a name to the woman and so he decided that she wasn't anyone that he knew.

Cloud reached down and offered her his hand which she took. He helped her to her feet and said, "Are you alright."

"Yeah I'm fine it is just that I wasn't watching where I was going," she said and she still hadn't looked at Cloud.

Cloud noticed that the girl was very pretty with her long hair and her brown eyes that held such innocence. Cloud wished he was innocent but he knew that could never be and the more he thought on it the more he was glad that he was the way he was. She was wearing a flower in her hair as well. 

The girl stood up with the help of the man she had ran into. She couldn't believe that she had run into someone. What was worse was that the man she ran into didn't even move. It had been like running into a wall. She hadn't looked at the man because she didn't want him to see how red her face was from embarrassment. 

She reached up and pushed the hair out of her eyes and she caught a glimpse of the man she had inadvertently ran into. He wasn't as tall as most men but he was extremely well muscled. He looked to weight close to 180 or more which was nothing but pure muscle she was sure after running into the man. He had a sword strapped to his back and a backpack slung over one shoulder. That was when she saw his face framed by a head full of spiky blonde hair. His eyes were a bright blue that said he had been exposed to Mako energy and he was handsome she thought.

She shook her head and really looked at him as she stood up to her full height which was nearly as tall as him. She couldn't believe who was standing there right in front of her! It was Cloud Stryfe who she had known as a little girl because he had helped out her father in Avalanche. She could tell that Cloud didn't recognize her so she thought to surprise him. She threw her arms around him and yelled into his ear exitededly, "Cloud it is so good to see you again. I have missed you even though you probably thought that I wouldn't."

Cloud watched as the young woman stood up and then she brushed some of her hair away from her face. She looked at him then even though she tried to hide it. Then he saw her shake her head slightly as if to clear it and then she stood up to her full height and really looked at him. Just then she threw herself forward and wrapped her arms around him which took him by surprise. That was a feat in itself. She then said that she had missed him! Hell he didn't even know her how could she have missed him!

Cloud reached up and pulled her hands down and away from around his neck. She made her stand still in front of him and he said firmly, "Young lady I think that you have me confused with someone else. I don't know you and I don't believe that we have ever met."

"Oh come on Cloud you really don't remember me," she almost seemed to plead.

"Honestly I don't," Cloud answered.

"Well then I guess that I will just have to tell you who I am then won't I. I am a little older now than the last time that you saw me Cloud. Actually I am now over twenty. Just so you know for the future I am Marlene, Cloud and I am all grown up now," Marlene said by way of explanation.

"Marlene? You mean you are Barrat's daughter. You sure have grown up into a beautiful young lady," Cloud said quite stunned at finding Marlene all grown up. He remembered her as the little girl who didn't necessarily like him all that much.

"Yes it is me and since I have found you I am supposed to take you to Tifa's house," Marlene said as she turned and started to head down the street.

"What do you mean you finally found me and now you are taking me to Tifa's," Cloud asked raising his eyebrow slightly.

"Well," Marlene started to say slowly. "I was supposed to be at the docks so that if you appeared I would be there to show you the way to Tifa's now let us just go huh," Marlene said.

Cloud shook his head and walked on in silence wondering if he would get the same reception from everyone as he had gotten from Marlene. He hoped that they didn't hate him for leaving but he couldn't be sure and he figured that they were all entitled to their own opinions as it was.

*****

Marlene led Cloud to a nice house towards the outer edges of Costa Del Sol where he was told that Tifa lived by herself. Cloud had hoped that Tifa would marry or something for that way she wouldn't have been alone for all those years. Cloud though was happy to find out that she wasn't married even though he would never let anyone know that.

"Well everyone is in there except for you and me so are you ready to see everyone Cloud," Marlene asked.

Cloud hesitated for he wasn't sure that he could face them after all the years that he had been away without ever really talking to them. He just wasn't sure about anything when it came to his old companions. Marlene caught on though and asked, "What's the matter Cloud?"

"I just don't know if they will accept me anymore that is all," Cloud said as he stood as if rooted to the spot he was on.

"Hey they aren't that different than the last time you saw them except, well, they didn't age as well as you did Cloud. Except for Tifa maybe but that doesn't matter. Just don't say anything about Dad's silver hair or you may get shot," Marlene said trying to hide a giggle.

Cloud took a deep breath and decided that it was time for him to face his old friends. "Lead the way Marlene. I am ready now."

Marlene opened the door and went into the house and Cloud followed her though a little ways back so that it didn't appear as if he was too anxious because he really wasn't that anxious to meet everyone again.

Inside the house Marlene led him through what appeared to be a study with bookshelves lined with books and a piano in one corner of the room. She led him to a room that Cloud took to be the living room where everyone that he was told would be there was. They were all sitting around a table made of oak that was rather large for a person who lived alone Cloud noted. 

There was Vincent sitting next to Yuffie holding her hand. He was his old self stoic as ever except now there was a warmth about him. It seemed that he was allowed to age again Cloud noticed and smiled. It was good that he had found happiness with Yuffie.

Cloud looked at Yuffie and saw that she had red eyes as if she had been crying. There were dried tears on her face as well and Cloud could see where she had been chewing on her hair like she was nervous about something. She was all in all quite a mess and Cloud didn't know why. He almost felt the need to go and comfort her and yet he didn't because that was Vincent's job. 

Cloud looked at Barret and tried not to laugh at the man. He had a full head of silver hair and so was his beard. The old man was truly getting old now and instead of being muscular he was mostly going to fat. That didn't stop Barret from mouthing off though Cloud knew.

Cloud saw Cid there still smoking but now the man was getting too old and the smoke was catching up to him. The smoking he had been doing for so long was giving him a bad time making it hard for him to breath. Cid wouldn't be left out of something though if there was a way that he could be used. It was the same with Barret.

Lastly Cloud looked over at Tifa who was sitting next to Yuffie as well. She was comforting her just like Vincent was. Strange Cloud thought. He had never pictured Tifa as one who would comfort Yuffie at all. Of course Cloud had never pictured Yuffie being devastated as she was at the moment. He wondered what the problem was but all he had eyes for at the moment was Tifa.

She had changed he could tell. She had aged well having no lines on her face or any other such markd to show her age. She still looked like she was in great shape and it seemed as if she had learned to be even more caring if that was possible. She had her large brown eyes and long hair yet. Cloud almost smiled at her but he didn't. He couldn't bring himself to do it.

Just then Tifa looked over and saw Cloud. She slowly stood up and it appeared as if there were tears in her eyes. She slowly walked around the table to Cloud who steeled himself for whatever she was going to do to him. He was ready for it because he knew it was coming. He had known for a long time. She came up to him and stood right in front of him. She hauled off and slapped him so hard that his ears rung and she said, "I'm so glad that you are back Cloud." She threw her arms around him then and started to sob into his chest.

He looked around and decided to say the obvious thing. "It will be alright Tifa. Whatever it is I am here now and I will do whatever I must," Cloud whispered into her ear. He stroked her hair as his chest was soaked with her tears.

Cloud looked up from Tifa to see everyone staring at him and then Barret said, "Yo man we need you know so don't be doing any of that running off crap."

"You got that right," Cid said as he puffed on his pipe. He had changed to a pipe as he got older thinking it made him look more sophisticated. 

"Cloud," Vincent's voice began sadly. "We really need your help and from what we are told you may be the only one who can do what needs to be done."

Cloud looked around confused. They hadn't asked him here as a social gathering that much was now clear but then what did they want him for. He wasn't the man they remembered. He had lived alone for too long and had learned to like being alone. He wouldn't give up on his friends though. He would do whatever it was that they needed his help with.

"What is the problem my old friend. I can tell that Yuffie is saddened by something but I have no idea what it could be," Cloud said as he held Tifa close who was still sobbing in his chest though she was now trying to control herself.

Tifa pulled away from Cloud but as she did she whispered into his ear harshly, "We will talk later,"

Cloud nodded his head as he turned to look at Yuffie. She was still sobbing and new tears were streaking down her face. Cloud walked around the table to kneel down beside her. He took her hands in his and said as gently as he could, "Please tell me what I can do to help you Yuffie."

She looked at him for the first time and a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth but didn't appear. She was too sad to smile for anyone. She looked and Cloud and she reached over and hugged him and Cloud let her when normally he wouldn't have for fear of his materia. Those days were gone Cloud knew and he also knew that something bad was afoot or else Yuffie wouldn't be acting the way that she was.

"Cloud," She said in a broken voice that almost made Cloud's heart wrench. She was so sad and it reflected in everything that she did. The way she talked, moved, and especially acted. Yuffie was losing herself to her grief and Cloud knew that if that happened there would be nothing any of them could do to get her back.

"Cloud," Yuffie sobbed. "They have taken my children. My twins. They have taken them," Yuffie cried into Cloud's shoulder as he just held her not sure what else to do.

"Who took them," Cloud asked and when had she had children Cloud wondered. I don't remember ever hearing about that but of course he hadn't been in touch with them at all so it really wasn't that much of a surprise. 

"The followers of Sephiroth. His cult took them thinking that if they sacrificied my children the children of one of the heroes then they could resurrect their leader Sephiroth," Vincent said from where he was seated. His voice was the same as it always was yet Cloud picked up a deep hidden anger that Vincent hadn't ever shown before.

"That is impossible and any sane person would realize that," Cloud argued trying to pragmatic in the face of everyone who wasn't.

"Yo Cloud they tried to nab Marlene too but me an old Cid here stopped them. We may be old but we can still go," Barret said calmly considering how his body trembled at the thought of them getting Marlene.

"It is true Cloud. They are trying to get the children of us and if they do then they will have us. There will be nothing that we can do to stop them for fear of our children's lives," Tifa said and Cloud noticed that her eyes were now dry.

"Cloud they sent Vincent and me a note about our children. They said that the only way that we would ever see them again is if you went alone and gave yourself up," Yuffie said and then she became angry.

"Where have you been for the last twenty years. If you had been around they wouldn't have taken my children. They would have taken you and my children would be safe at home right now. Damn you Cloud why did you leave all of us like you did," Yuffie screamed in his face as she slapped him.

Cloud stood up slowly and rubbed his cheek where she had hit him. For such a slight girl she could hit hard. He knew that she was angry and he felt that her anger was justified. "How do the rest of you feel," Cloud asked his gathered friends.

"I agree with my wife Cloud. You shouldn't have left us like that. We had become like family and then you abandoned us to go off on your own. That was something that I don't think that I will ever be able to forgive," Vincent said as he held his wife Yuffie who was still sobbing.

"Barret, Cid, Tifa do you feel the same," Cloud wondered aloud.

"Yo Cloud ya know that we became friends but friends don't run out on friends. You left us in the gutter and went on your merry way. I don't think that is very friendly," Barret said as he puffed his chest out as he always did.

"They are right Cloud. You ran and that was just wrong. What kind of man are you who would run from your friends. I am old and I have at least stayed in touch with everyone. Don't you think that you could have done the same since you are so much younger than I," Cid asked mildly as he puffed on his pipe.

"Tifa," Cloud almost whispered fearing what she would say and yet knowing that he deserved whatever she said or did.

"Cloud how could you run like that. We were family nearly and all I wanted was to be happy with you. I wanted us to be family more than friends. You ruined that by leaving. Why would you leave the woman who loved you with all her heart huh Cloud why. Why did you leave," Tifa asked near tears again.

Cloud stood erect and looked calmly at everyone there and knew that they deserved an answer. They deserved an answer and yet he didn't really want to tell them anything yet. So instead he turned to Yuffie and said too calmly for everyone present to fully believe, "Since you hate me now yuffie and it seems that everyone is on your side there then I will end your grief. I will give myself up and you will have your children back. I will allow myself to be killed so that you may have your children. I will leave now so that my presence doesn't make you sick or do something that you would later regret."

Cloud turned on his heel and left the room. He went back the way he came and left the building. At the steps outside though he met Marlene who said, "You know they don't hate you Cloud. They are just so sad now days. Stay here at least for a day until you find out where you need to go. I will find out for you and then I will tell you."

"Thank you Marlene I really appreciate it. You are wrong though. I think that they do really hate me. It is understandable though. I left them without so much as a word. They have reason," Cloud said as he went down the stairs. At Marlene's voice he turned around.

"Cloud I think that they will understand all you need to do is tell them why you left. They would listen and possibly believe you," Marlene said softly.

"Maybe," Cloud said as Barret's voice bellowed from inside the house.

"Marlene stop talking to that spikey headed person. I don't want you talking to him in case he rubs off on you," Barret yelled.

"You better go Marlene it seems that I am not wanted at all. I won't be missed no matter what happens so don't worry about me. I will endure like I always do," Cloud said as he turned and walked down the street in search of a hotel to stay at for the night.

*****

_Of the heroes there will be one who will be like time itself. He will be unyielding and made of steel. Time will be his ally for he won't know it's ravages as others shall. The hero will be the one who must save the world from a blackness that is older than people are. It shall attempt to return a score of years after the fall of a would be king. When his weapon would be beat aside by the forces of good. Only the heroes can save our ally of time though. _

His name shall ring with the heavens and his sword shall never dull for he is always vigilant. Death will be his shadow and yet life will be behind him always. The group of heroes shall be his friends no more and yet given time they may yet know friendship that never was. Cloud will walk the world with his mighty blade and he won't age for his spirit is one that is eternal and it is the spirit that protects the world. He is guided by the Ancients though they are forever gone from the world.

The Lost Book of Shadows


	2. 

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy or its characters

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy or its characters.

The Journey Begins

Cloud walked into his room at the motel and threw down his backpack. He was not in the greatest of moods thanks to his friends who seemed to him to not even care about him at all anymore. He always cared for them but it seemed that he had hurt them more than he had realized when he had left all those years ago.

He pulled his sword off of his back and leaned it against the wall where he could get to it with ease if he had need of it which he hoped that he didn't. He sat down on the edge of the bed and put his head in his hands. He missed his friends so much and yet it seemed to him that he would go on missing them because they seemed to have no need of him as a friend anymore. 

He thought that he should be used to it. When he was in Soldier he had a very few friends and then that one friend had been killed. After that he had wandered around doing odd jobs and he became a mercenary. He had not hated the life but then he had joined Avalanche and had to become friends with it's members. That was what had changed him. The second that he had saved Jessie when she had her foot caught during that first mission.

Cloud laid back on the bed and threw an arm across his face. He wanted to believe that his friends were just mad but he wasn't so sure about that. They had been pretty sure that they didn't like him anymore for what he had done and at that moment Cloud didn't really care. He felt that if they wanted to be that way then he would say the children and then he would allow himself to be captured so that they wouldn't have to worry about him any longer. They could forget all about him.

Cloud closed his eyes then and felt that he needed to get some sleep. If he was going to go to where ever this place was he was going to need to leave early. As Cloud drifted off to sleep instead of his last thought being about Tifa like it had been for a very long time it was of death and what he would have to do in order to avoid her.

_Cloud found himself standing on a cliff looking out over the ocean with the sun setting off in the distance painting everything a slight pink color. He shook his head and decided that this had to be a dream because he would never think of something like this on his own. His mind had to be playing with him._

He looked out over the ocean and saw that the setting sun was painted onto the shimmering ocean surface so that it looked as if he was looking into a mirror and he wasn't a part of the picture. Cloud shrugged his shoulders and stood up. He thought that Aeris would have liked the place but she was gone because he had been a failure. He hadn't been able to protect her just like Zack.

"That is alright Cloud. I was meant to die at that moment," Cloud heard a voice but he just couldn't believe who it belonged to.

Cloud slowly turned to look at the person whom the voice had come from. He turned and looked directly into the face of Aeris who smiled at him in welcome. "Cloud you couldn't have saved me or Zack for that matter. We had been chosen to die at those times. Sometimes the lifestream needs certain people to return to it. Don't feel bad Cloud," she said softly.

"No I don't believe that Aeris. I was there and I should have been able to save you. I just stood there and watched as he plunged his sword into your back. I will never be able to forget that. I should have saved you!" Cloud gritted out as he punched his hand into his other hand.

Aeris walked forward and placed her hand on Cloud's shoulder in comfort. She had been watching him for the last twenty years and she knew what their friends did not. She knew what had happened to him in those twenty years and she knew why he had left in the first place. She felt a great sadness for Cloud because she knew that he had left in order to save his friends and they didn't even know it.

"Cloud they will understand in time if you tell them. They don't mean what they said," Aeris said then in order to comfort him and bring him back from that dark place where he was slipping more and more often she had noticed. That dark place where he kept all of his memories that were painful. He seemed to feed off those pains and that was what seemed to be keeping him going anymore.

"Aeris I miss you. I think that I miss you more than the others because you would listen to what I needed to talk about. You never judged like some of my friends do. I just wish that you weren't gone Aeris," Cloud said as he slumped forward and sat down.

"Don't worry Cloud I am always with you. But I must tell you something. You must save the children but you mustn't get caught. You cannot let the enemy have you because of what they will use you for," Aeris said now in a voice that was as hard as stone.

"Why I don't care whether I live or die anymore. Life is just a place that you stop along the path that will lead you to enternity. " Once you have passed beyond life it will mean nothing to you anymore. I look forward to the day when I am bested in battle so that I am no longer on that world where there is nothing for me but pain," Cloud said in a voice so filled with pain that it brought tears to Aeris's eyes.

"Cloud you must live because life is the best thing that there is. It is in life that you learn to love and care. It is life that means something not death. Your life is all that you have Cloud. Cloud you need to love again," Aeris said as she placed an arm around his shoulders as she sat down next to him.

"Oh Aeris I know that I must live long enough to save Yuffie's kids but then I no longer care. Love I will never feel again. I thought that I loved Tifa but I am not so sure now. I am thinking that I was liking the idea of loving her since I had known her since we were kids," Cloud said as he gazed at the sun.

"Don't worry Cloud you will find love I am sure of it. You are in need though of a friend right now and I will sit here with you until it is time for you to go back to the waking world," Aeris said.

"Thank you Aeris. I don't know how you can be here but I thank you just the same," Cloud said as he hugged her.

"I am here because dreams are when a live person is near death. I can enter your dreams sometimes Cloud and when I do I will try to impart knowledge to you," Aeris explained to him.

"Thank you Aeris for being here for me. I really do need a friend right now," Cloud said as he watched the sun and Aeris just sat there beside him with her arm across his shoulders.

*****

"Yeah he is here in Costa Del Sol like we knew that he would be. Tell Joram that he is staying at the motel. He is room 13b so he should be fairly easy pickings. The fool I can't believe that he would actually come here," the man said to another next to him.

"I will be back shortly with reinforcements. We will have Cloud and then he will help with the ressurection of Spehiroth," the small man said as he ran off to do what the other had told him to do.

"You are a fool Cloud. You were always weak and I will crush you now. You will fight and fight well I am sure but you will lose and then you will be ours," The man said as he adjusted the guns on his hips.

The man looked to the window where the lights were still on but Cloud was asleep. He knew that they would have Cloud because the man had lost the will to live and he knew that Cloud would be easy pickings for the followers of the mighty Sephiroth. The man smiled as the anticipation of the capture boiled within him. He would enjoy seeing Cloud beaten. 

*****  


Cloud opened his eyes and felt more rested than he could ever remember being. He decided that it was the dream. He would have liked to believe that Aeris had actually talked to him but he knew that it was impossible and so just dreaming about her had been enough to let him truly rest.

Cloud stood up and stretched and noticed that it was dark outside. He went to the window and looked out. He saw that there were lights on in many houses and down below Cloud heard children playing. He wondered if Marlene had ever been down there playing just like those children were or if Barret wouldn't have let her.

Cloud smiled at the thought of the talks that her and Barret would have to have had while she was growing up and becoming a woman. Cloud though that it would have been nice to have been there to hear some of those but he wasn't and that was when his smile vanished.

Cloud heard people talking down below him in the common room of the inn. He knew that many of them were off work and they were drinking and having a good time. Cloud wasn't one for drinking and even if he had been he would never have been able to get drunk. The Mako energy would prevent him from becoming intoxicated.

Cloud was ready to turn back from the window and head down to the common room when something caught his eye. He looked back out the window and over at t nearby house. As he looked he saw a shadow flit across the rooftop of the house heading towards the inn that he was staying at. Cloud didn't know if the man was a thief or what but Cloud wasn't willing to take any chances. 

He ran over to his sword and looped the baldric over his shoulders so that the blade was slung across his back. He then made sure that his materia was in place just in case there was a real need of it's use though Cloud hoped that he didn't need it. He would destroy too many things if he had to use it in the inn.

Cloud hoped that he didn't have to fight whoever that was. He hoped that it was just some kids playing games or some such but Cloud had a feeling that the men were after something and that he wasn't supposed to have seen them at all.

Cloud went to the door to his room and yanked it open only to see that there were men filling the hallway. All had guns and were wearing uniforms that reminded Cloud of the Soldier uniforms. Cloud slammed his door shut and moved a chair over to it in order to slow the men down. 

"Damn the men are after me. There is no way around it," Cloud cursed.

He went back to the window and looked out. He saw men filling up the street below him. There had been perhaps six men in the hall and down in the street there were maybe ten to twelve more. "Well I guess the best way to go is up," Cloud said to himself as he opened the window and climbed onto the sill.

He reached up above the window and felt for a handhold. When he found one he pulled himself out of the room and up. He placed his feet on the top of the window and reached up until he found another handhold. He continued until he was near the top. That was when he heard a shout down below him. Cloud looked down and saw a man's face looking up at him from out of his window.

"We know who you are Cloud Stryfe and we want you to surrender or your friends will die. The only way for you to save them is if you come with us quietly," The man yelled as Cloud continued to scale the side of the building.

Cloud yelled back down in a voice a bit strained from the effort of climbing the building and keeping himself from falling. "If you really had them you would have shown them to me by now. Either that or you are a bunch of amateurs. That and to be quite truthful you would know that they aren't my friends anymore so I don't especially care what happens to them." As he finished he pulled himself up onto the roof of the inn.

*****

Tifa and the other couldn't believe what Cloud had just said. They had been down on the street in the shadows waiting. They had been on their way to see him and apologize when they had seen all the men start to head to the inn. They had slipped into the shadows and had followed at a discreet distance.

They had found out from listening that the men were after Cloud and that the men needed him alive for something but they had never said what they needed him for. The men wore the Soldier uniforms and Tifa wondered if they were trying to force Cloud back into the ranks of Soldier.

Tifa and the others had been really sorry about the way that had reacted to Cloud earlier but it had just been so long since they had seen him. Then to have one of them say what had been in all of their hearts had been too much for them to hold back. They had all felt that way about him but they really felt now that they had been wrong to feel that way.

Then Tifa and the others had heard what Cloud had said and it had crushed her as well as her friends. How could Cloud have said that they were no longer his friends. They had saved the world together and had sacrificed much for each other. She knew that they had been mean but she thought that Cloud could take it but it seemed that she was wrong. 

Her and the others decided then not to help Cloud and to see if he could take care of close to a score of men without their help. In the old days even Cloud would have had trouble with them and Tifa didn't think that she should help a man who didn't care about her anymore.

*****

Cloud stood on the roof and waited for the men to come to him. He knew that they would and he also knew that he was going to have to kill them. They thought that they could trick him into believing that they had his friends well they were mistaken about that. They couldn't catch his friends because they were too good at fighting and other such things.

Cloud pulled his sword from it's sheath and it hissed as the scabbard released the blade. The blade shimmered in the moonlight and the moonlight was reflected off the mirror-like surface of the blade. Cloud looked at his own reflection in the blade and shook his head. He had killed more than any person should ever have to even dream about and he was about to kill again.

Cloud saw the six men from the hallway come out onto the roof from the door that lead up to the roof. They looked at him standing there with his blade ready and the leader of them smiled. "You are a fool Cloud. You never bring a sword to a gun fight," the man said as he threw back his head and laughed.

Before any of the men could react though Cloud rushed forward and brought his sword down in a diagonal cut that cut one man from his shoulder down across to his hip. The man fell back dead as Cloud spun with his sword extended and eviscerated one man who was too close to the sword. The man fell back trying to hold in his entrails.

Cloud came back up half kneeling in his ready stance. The men were shocked and had failed to even get a shot off before two of their number had been killed. "Fire fire now!" The leader yelled.

The men opened fire and cloud spun away from the shots though he took one in his left shoulder and one in his thigh. He blocked some of the shots with his blade and then he turned back to the men and charged a second time. He came in low and cut the legs out from underneath one man and then brought his blade up in a slash that cut the throat of the man on the other side of Cloud. 

The last man besides the leader opened fire on Cloud who took the shots and continued forward to the man. When he was close enough he swung the sword down and the man tried to parry with his rifle but the sword cut right through the rifle and into the man. The sword cut the man nearly in two and then Cloud swung back around to look at the leader who was backing up from Cloud with his hands in the air.

Cloud used his cure materia and healed himself of his wounds. As his wounds closed the bullets that had been embeded in his flesh fell to the ground. The man looked at him in utter fear. He had been told about Cloud but he hadn't believed any of it but now he did. The man kept backing up and didn't even notice the edge until his foot was halfway off the roof. He stopped then and looked at Cloud with fear in his eyes.

Cloud walked forward and the man stood his ground because he didn't want to fall to his death. "Please don't kill me Cloud," the man pleaded.

Cloud stalked forward his eyes blazing with fury. "Why did you guys want me. What am I to you."

"We were told that you would be the vessal for our lord when he returns. He shall need a body and that is what you are for," the man quickly said trying to please Cloud.

Cloud was taken aback by that. He didn't know what the man was talking about and as far as Cloud knew dead was dead. The man Cloud decided was babbling in order to save his own life. "Who sent you and tell me the truth," Cloud demanded as he continued his advance.

"We were sent by a man who wears a mask. We don't know his name all we know him by is the Prophet," the man blurted out only too happy to tell Cloud everything he knew. 

Cloud was now on the man and he glared into the man's brown eyes with his own glowing blue eyes. The man was so scared that Cloud could feel him tremble in his hand. "You are the men who kidnapped Yuffie's children aren't you. Where are they tell me and you might live," Cloud shouted into the man's face as his anger started to boil to the surface.

"Y…Yes we d… did. We took them. We took them to a small island in the middle of nowhere. It is an island with moutains and ice on one side with a small jungle on the other side of the island. I think that it was created by some scientists," The man bubbled out.

So this man was a member of the Sephiroth fan club Cloud thought. Cloud knew that men like him were too dangerous to let live. If he did the man would just convert others to his way of thinking and so he knew what he had to do. Cloud put his face just inches away from the man's and hissed, "You will pay for the crimes that you have committed against my friends. For taking the children you must die!" Cloud then shoved the man from the rooftop and watched as he hit the ground and crushed a man who wasn't watching beneath him. They were both laying unmoving and Cloud knew that they were both dead.

The men looked up at Cloud who backed away from the edge so that he wouldn't get shot. He heard the men cursing and yelling at him but he didn't pay them any mind. He was thinking of a way to get free. He thought that the best way to go was straight down. He would survive the fall because he was an enhanced human so he didn't really fear that. He knew that the best thing to do was what was unexpected so he ran for the edge of the roof and jumped.

The men were too surprised to do anything as he fell to the ground. Cloud was falling right into the center of them and as he neared them he brought his sword down in a slash that cut one man completely in two. He hit the ground and rolled forward knocking the feet out from under two other men. While they were all on the ground Cloud grabbed one man and broke his neck and the other he stabbed through the chest with his blade. He then came up to his feet and charged the remaining men who were still trying to recover from what he had done.

He cut left and right and men fell to his blade which was red with blood. The men were too scared to even fight back because when they looked at him all they saw was their own death. Cloud charged and a man swung the butt of his gun for Cloud's head but Cloud ducked and sliced the man across the leg and as the man fell Cloud finished him off with a stab to the chest.

That left only four and they all turned to run. Cloud wasn't ready to let them get away and so he cast a fire spell and they all fell to the ground to try to put out the flames that covered their bodies. Cloud ran over to them and stabbed each in the back in order to end their pain quickly. He then stood there with his sword extended and blood soaking him and his blade. As he stood there the blood dripped slowly from his blade to the ground.

He had killed all the men and he still felt the same as he always did. He knew that was not a good sign for when one becomes accustomed to killing then you are not really a person at all anymore. He looked around at the destruction that he had wrought and closed his eyes. He stood there for a second and then sheathed his sword. 

"Cloud how could you kill those men when they were helpless like that," he heard Tifa say from behind him. She sounded shocked and angry at the same time. Cloud slowly turned to look at her and saw that all of his old friends were there.

"I killed them because they deserved it Tifa. There was no other way around it. I won't let men like that live if they will try to take Marlene or anyone else who means anything to me Cloud said in a voice that lacked any emotion.

"Cloud you have changed in your time away. You would never have done that in the old days," Vincent said.

"That is what you believe. I kill people. That is what I do. I am a man who brings death to anyone who crosses me," Cloud said matter of factly.

Tifa had noticed that he had called them people and not his friends even when they were standing there right in front of him. She was hurt by that but didn't let it show. "Cloud we came here to tell you that we are sorry for the way that we acted earlier. We were just angry about what had happened to Yuffie's children and had almost happened to Marlene. We didn't mean to take it out on you."

"No you are wrong about that Tifa. You did mean to take it out on me or you wouldn't have said those things to me," Cloud said with hurt in his voice. He turned and looked at Yuffie then. "I said that I would get your children back and I will. I will not accept your apology because you don't mean it. You just felt bad and you felt that if you said you were sorry then it would erase the dirty feeling. Well you can keep it because once I have your children back I will leave again. Don't worry you won't have me around so you will not be driven to bouts of anger that lead you to say things that you will later regret!" Cloud finished by yelling at his old friends.

They were all stunned by Cloud. They hadn't thought that he wouldn't accept their apology. It was at that moment that they realized how much they had hurt him by what they had done. They really felt bad and they could tell that Cloud no longer cared about what they felt and Tifa honestly couldn't blame him. They hadn't even thought to ask him why he had truly left or why he had come back. They hadn't thought to be friends to him.

She watched as Cloud turned his back on them and walked away. He didn't look over his shoulder as he walked from the city. He didn't need to look back. He knew that they wouldn't care that he had left and that was alright by him because he was used to being alone now. He had his sword and that was the only companion that he really needed.


	3. A New Friend

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy 7 or it's characters

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy 7 or it's characters.

A New Friend

Tears streamed down Tifa's face hours after Cloud had left the city without saying anything to them. She couldn't believe that he had left that way without even asking if she had wanted to travel with him like in the old days. He seemed to be so different and it pained her to see him that way. It also pained her to know that she and the others were perhaps part of the reason that he was the way he was now. They had hurt him in a way that they would never know and yet Cloud would always remember she was sure about that.

Tifa's eyes were red rimmed and puffy as she wiped away yet another tear that streamed down her face. She was sitting in her room and across from her were both Yuffie and Marlene. They watched her and finally Marlene came over to her and sat down next to her and wrapped her arms around Tifa's shoulders.

"It will be fine Tifa you will see. Cloud will not stay mad and everything will be back to the way it used to be. He was the one who told me that he would do anything for us and I think that he would," Marlene said in order to try to cheer Tifa up.

Yuffie looked at her long time friend and the woman who her children referred to as their aunt. "I am sorry Tifa. If I had not lost my temper Cloud would never have acted the way he did and he would still be here. I am truly sorry it is just that I have never really been able to control my temper," Yuffie said sadly for she was truly sorry for the way she had treated Cloud the day before.

"It's all right Yuffie you had reason to be the way that you were. Your children were taken from you. Every mother would have felt the same way," Tifa said sadly knowing that she would never be a mother probably. She had at one time hoped that she would marry Cloud but now she just didn't know.

"Everything will be just fine I am telling the both of you. Cloud will save Natalia and Laeticia you wait and see. Then everything will go back the way it was," Marlene insisted. 

"I truly hope you are right Marlene. I would like everything to go back to the way it was," Tifa said as she cracked her knuckles out of habit. Everyone looked at her but she paid them no mind because she was thinking about doing something and she didn't know if the two of them would support her or not. She wouldn't tell them until she felt that she was ready and that they might just help her out.

*****

Cloud had left Costa Del Sol with nothing but what he had on him which was to say the least not that much. He had his cloths that were on his back and his sword which was all he truly needed. He looked down at himself and decided that maybe he would need an extra set of cloth's since the ones that he had on had a few holes in them from the gunshots.

Cloud was maybe four miles or so out of Costa Del Sol. He thought that he should keep moving even though he didn't really want to. He wanted to go back and apologize for what he had said and the way he had acted towards Tifa and his friends. The more he thought about it thought the more he knew that he had done the right thing. He didn't want to draw them into what was going on since it seemed that they only wanted him for some reason that they didn't even seem to know.

Cloud didn't care what the reason was all he knew was that he needed to help those children. Cloud grimaced at that thought for he didn't even know their names much less what they looked like and if they were boys or girls or both. He shrugged his shoulders then and decided that it didn't matter. He would know them when he saw them he felt sure. When he found them he would do whatever it took to get them back safely to Yuffie whom he loved as much as any other of his friends.

Cloud shook his head when he thought of Yuffie having children. When he had first met her she was little more than a child herself! Now she was a mother and Vincent a man who Cloud had thought would never learn to love again was the father of Yuffie's and his children. It was a thought that Cloud just found hard to grasp. 

The sun was just rising over the distant mountains when Cloud finally decided to stop for awhile. He didn't have his bedroll with him so he just found a rock and leaned his back against it. He figured that it would be just as soft as anything else. He closed his eyes and felt at peace.

He had decided to stop not because he was tired but because he just didn't feel like walking any farther without at least taking in the surroundings. IT was something that he had missed in his last twenty years of moving around. He had never taken the time to get to know a place and to commit it to memory. Cloud wanted to do that with what was around him. It was peaceful and there was nothing to disturb the silence except the occasional song of a bird or the chirping of insects.

After an hour of just sitting with his back against the rock he decided that he had better get going. He stood up and stretched. He smiled at what he knew other people would have done had they laid against a rock. They would have been in a lot of pain but Cloud felt no discomfort. He didn't feel the discomfort due to what had happened to him in the past. He healed a bit faster than the average person and he was quite a bit stronger as well.

Cloud checked his sword in it's sheath to make sure that it would slide out easy if he needed it then continued on. He walked for most of the day and when it started to get dark he figured that he would need to stop for the night and get some rest. He found himself a small grove of trees and sat down in a little clearing amongst them. He hunted around and found some dry wood and started a fire so that the flames would frighten any unwanted animals. The light might draw attention but he would rather it be human than animal because had no wish to kill any animals. That and humans made more noise than an animal would so that he would know if anyone tried to sneak up on him which Cloud suspected might happen since he was being hunted yet again.

Cloud moved close to the flames and stared into them. It didn't hurt his eyes like it would normal people but then Cloud wasn't normal. He had been exposed to Mako energy and it had changed him in ways that no one could ever fully understand. He didn't even know what all it had done to him. 

Cloud looked in the flames and he saw a scene from his past. He saw the time he first met Yuffie. It was in the woods and she had wanted to fight them. Well she had lost and when she did she decided to join up with Cloud and the rest of his friends. Cloud smiled at the memory. None of them had known that she was going to steal their materia. They had found her after that and she had then become a very important member of their team as much for her personality as for anything else. She had brought fun to the group where before they had mostly been morose and intent on doing what must be done. She had shown him that fun was something that anyone could have and Cloud would always treasure that gift from her.

Cloud laid back and put his sword behind his head so that it was in easy reach. He closed his eyes and let sleep take him. He didn't dream and he didn't see Aeris again though he had wanted to very much see her. Suddenly he heard a twig snap and a soft curse. Cloud woke up but didn't move so that he didn't alert whoever it was that he was already awake.

The footfalls came closer and closer and then he heard someone sit down next to the fire. "Ahh that's nice," said a very soft female voice that Cloud had never heard before. Cloud thought about seeing who it was and then decided that she didn't pose any threat to him so he just lay there and let sleep claim him for a second time.

*****

Cassandra had been moving away from her home now for longer than she cared to think about it. She had left thanks to the abuse that her father gave her every day. There hadn't been a day in the last year that she hadn't had a black eye and she finally got tired of it and left. 

Cassandra hadn't felt bad about leaving because her mother and other sisters had left before she did and that was one reason that she took so many beatings because there were no other people to beat. She hated her father and had told him that the day that she left. He had told her that if she ever came back he would kill her for being so insolent. 

Cassandra had promised to never come back and her father had laughed at her! He had laughed and laughed until she had hit him in the head with a frying pan and knocked him unconscious. She had then looked around the house for things that she would need to take with her. She had gathered up a lot of food and some water to take with her. She had taken all of her father's money since he would only spend it on beer anyway. She had looked around the house and found a small pistol that she had decided to take for protection. She took some of her clothes and a necklace, rings, and any other jewelry that she found so that she could sell it if she had to.

She had taken a knife from the kitchen as well never not knowing if she would ever need it but a weapon was a weapon. She had left then and had been traveling ever since. She had been traveling for about a half a year moving from place to place hoping to find her family. She hadn't yet but that didn't matter she was no longer at home and that was all that she cared about.

It had started to get cold at night and she hadn't wanted to sleep outdoors again in the cold but she hadn't made it to a town. She had started to put two sets of cloths on in order to keep warm at night but not even that was enough to keep her warm. That was why when she had seen the fire down in the trees she had went straight to it without even thinking if it could be someone bad.

She had tried to sneak up on the man and the fire but she had stepped on a dry twig. She had stopped for a minute and looked at the man and the fire along with the warmth that it promised. The man had long spiky blonde hair. His face looked almost peaceful while he slept but that was almost not quite. He wasn't as tall as a lot of men but he was extremely well muscled and he had a sword under his head as a pillow. 

She had not wanted to go in close to the fire but she was shivering just sitting there looking and finally the cold got the best of her better judgement and she moved forward and sat down next to the fire. She held her hands out to the fire and whispered to herself, "Ahh that's nice."

She thought that the man would have woken up but he didn't he just kept on sleeping and she started to wonder if he was dead after a little while of him not even moving. She looked over at him and saw that he was sweating like he had just got done running a mile. 

She moved up next to him and she listened to his breathing that was coming fast and hard. He thrashed from side to side in his sleep as she neared and she didn't know what she should do. She wanted to wake him but she wondered if she did if he would attack her or send her away. She really didn't want him to do that because for some reason she couldn't explain she felt safe while she was near him.

She reached down hesitantly and touched his arm. He didn't even respond to her touch so she shook him hard and the next thing that she knew was that his eyes snapped open and he was on his feet with his sword drawn in the blink of an eye. He looked around wildly and when he saw her he lowered the sword.

As the sword lowered she let out a breath that she didn't even know that she had been holding. She looked up at him and smiled and said, "I didn't know what to do you were thrashing about so I thought that I should wake you."

*****

Cloud was awoke from his nightmare with a start as he realized something was happening to his body. He was glad that he was out of the nightmare though for it was filled with nothing but pain and he had no wish to relive what happened during his first few years away from his friends. 

Cloud looked at the girl who had woken him without a thought for her safety and he wondered what she was doing out here in the cold. He shook his head as he sheathed his sword and then her words sank in. He turned to look at her and said, "Thank you for waking me. I am glad that you did." He saw that she was terrified of him, or of what he might do to her but she didn't run which he admired her for.

"I will not hurt you or any such thing. I owe you so go ahead and make yourself comfortable," Cloud said as he sat back down and really looked at her for the first time. She had long black hair that glistened in the firelight. Her eyes were of the deepest green and seemed to sparkle and dance as the firelight flickered in their depths. Her skin was a pale white and she had the look of someone who had been on the run for awhile. She was quite beautiful he noticed but didn't really think about that. Cloud knew that there could never be a woman for him.

The girl made herself a little spot next to the fire and sat down to warm herself. He could tell that she was extremely cold and he again wondered what had made her come out here all alone without the proper cloths. Cloud smiled at that thought because he didn't have the proper cloths either. He was wearing a pair of black pants with a black shirt that had no sleeves. He had a reason for not having any other cloths but then again the cold didn't bother him either.

"My name is Cassandra and I thank you for sharing your fire with me," she said through teeth that chattered with the cold. 

"The name's Cloud and it is no problem Cassandra. You look cold so don't worry about staying here. You can stay for as long as you like," Cloud said not knowing what else to say.

At the mention of his name though he saw her back stiffen. She turned slowly to look at him and her eyes were wide. "The Cloud. The Cloud who saved the world with his friends. That Cloud," She said wonderingly.

"The one and the same," Cloud said while shrugging his shoulders. He didn't think that it was any big deal because he honestly didn't care about the world. At least he hadn't cared until he met Aeris. Then the war had become personal and the world was just an added bonus when he saved it after killing Sephiroth.

"I…I'm sorry for intruding Cloud I didn't mean to come to your fire," she stammered. Poor girl Cloud thought as he looked at her. She was in awe of him for some reason. He had thought that most people would have forgotten about him after so long. He had dropped off the face of the planet and yet still people like Cassandra thought of him as a hero.

Cloud took off his shirt and tossed it to Cassandra. "Here put that on. I know it isn't much but it should help warm you a bit," Cloud said casually.

"But won't you be cold," she asked and then hit herself on the forehead. "Of course not you are Cloud and you are too tough to allow the cold to affect you." 

How I wish that were true Cloud thought to himself. He just smiled at her though. "Why are you out here anyway. Shouldn't you be home after all you are no more than seventeen or eighteen right?" Cloud asked.

"I am twenty one and I am not going home because that is where my father is. I will not return to that man. I will not return to the beatings and the abuse," She said almost as if Cloud wasn't there at all.

Cloud understood the reason she was out here alone then. She had no reason to be home if her father was like that. Cloud didn't blame her for that because Cloud himself wouldn't put up with that. "I see. Well you should get some sleep if you can. If you push hard tomorrow you might be able to make Costa Del Sol," Cloud said as he stretched himself out and readied himself for sleep yet again.

"What if I don't want to go there," she asked curiously.

"You should in order to get some warmer cloths if you are going to continue to travel like this. That and there you could get supplies. Out here you have none of that," Cloud said as he closed his eyes.

"What if I don't want any of those things. What if I would rather travel with you," she said softly. So softly in fact that Cloud barely heard her and he wondered if he was supposed to.

"I don't think that you want to be traveling with me. I am going to do something that will be extremely dangerous. I don't want to get you involved and I don't want you to get hurt because of me," Cloud said sternly.

She looked at him and he could see tears starting to gather at the corners of her eyes. He hated it when women cried. He was a weak man when it came to that, "I will tell you what. You sleep on it and if you still want to travel with me in the morning then I just might let you. You will have to get a weapon though so I will have to see where your talents lie," Cloud said.

"Thank you Cloud. I will still want to go with you I can promise you that," she said happily as she rolled over onto her side and prepared for sleep.

That is what I am afraid of Cassandra Cloud thought. I don't want you to get hurt and yet how can I refuse you when it was the same way with half of my old friends. I found them in different ways but it was basically the same. They wanted to travel with me and I let them. Who am I to deny you when you may well turn out to be someone important to the mission. I can't think that you are but I didn't think that about any of the others either.

Cloud just sat there for over ten minutes looking at Cassandra's back and he wondered if he would get her to grow to hate him just like all his old friends. He then wondered if he would get her killed just like he had gotten Aeris killed. Cloud hoped that he didn't but he just didn't know. He let those thoughts stay with him as he went to sleep. He didn't see Cassandra roll over and watch him all night long.

*****

Tseng wasn't happy that his daughter had left. It had caused him to sober up and he was going to find her for being so disobediant. She was going to get what was coming to her and then he was going to send her away to get married in some far off land where he wouldn't have to see her ever again. First though he was going to get his revenge for what she had done to him her own father!

Cassandra was going to pay for taking his money and hitting him in the head with a pan. He wasn't going to let her get away with it and he would deal with whoever he had to in order to get her back. He had returned to his days as a Turk in order to find his daughter. He was wearing his suit and everything and he pulled his sunglasses on. "Well daughter when I find you no matter who you are with I will get you back and you will pay just like your mother and other sisters will pay if I ever find them," Tseng whispered.


	4. Unexpected Visitors

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy 7 or it's characters.  
  
Unexpected Visitors  
  
Cloud awoke and saw that Cassandra was working out moving through moves with a rather large knife. Cloud could tell that it wasn't really a weapon it was more of a kitchen utensil. Cloud wondered if she knew what she was doing because it didn't really look like it. Cloud figured that if she ever got in a real fight using the knife like she was she would be killed rather shortly. He didn't want to see that even though he didn't know anything about her.  
  
Cloud felt that he needed to show her how to use that weapon even though it didn't look like the weapon that would fit her. He didn't know what that would be but he decided that the next town that they came to he would buy a variety of weapons and let her try them out so that she could see if any of them felt right to her.  
  
Cloud walked up behind her silent as a shadow and touched her on the shoulder hoping that she would stop what she was doing. She did stop but she whirled around with the knife extended in a slash for his chest. Cloud caught her by the wrist and held her arm in place.  
  
She noticed that it was Cloud then and she let go of the knife as she said horrified, "Oh my god I'm so sorry Cloud I … I didn't mean it. I thought that it was someone else I am just so sorry."   
  
Cloud said softly to her, "Don't worry about it. It is just me and not whoever you feared it was." She looked at him and smiled shyly as she wiped her tears away.  
  
"Thanks Cloud for not getting angry at me for what I did," she said back still smiling.   
  
Cloud bent down and picked up her knife and looked at it. He didn't like the knife because it wasn't balanced at all. The knife weighed too much at the front than it should have which would throw off any cut you made with it. It was too dull to even put an edge on now which meant that she had been using the knife for doing things other than fighting.   
  
Cloud turned back to Cassandra then and held the knife out to her hilt first. She pulled the knife out of his hand and it didn't cut his hand, which is what he figured. He knew it was extremely dull then and he would have to get her a new weapon shortly. "Show me how you hold the knife," Cloud said like a teacher would to a student which is what he felt like at the moment.  
  
She gripped the hilt so hard that her knuckles were turning white and Cloud started to shake his head. "No you don't grip the knife so hard. If you are going to be traveling with me then you need to know how to defend yourself. Now on how to hold the knife will be your first lesson. You hold the knife gently not so hard," Cloud said to Cassandra.  
  
He noticed that she softened her grip but was still holding the knife too hard so he tried to think of some other way to explain how to hold it to her. A thought occurred to him then and he wondered if she had ever had a boyfriend. It didn't matter because that was how he was going to explain it to her. "You are doing better but you are still holding the knife too hard. How about trying this. Hold the knife hilt like you would the face of your boyfriend. Gently hold it nearly caressing the hilt holding just tightly to keep it in place without it moving too much," Cloud said.  
  
He noticed that she was doing better much better. She was holding the knife better, actually just about right. "Why do you hold it like this. I thought that you held it tight," Cassandra inquired.  
  
"No you don't hold the blade so tight because if you do you will do more harm to yourself than good. If you hold the hilt so hard then when you parry someone's slash it will put a lot of stress on your arm muscles. That will tire you out too quickly in a fight and get you killed, or it will hurt you arm muscles. Second if you hold the blade lightly when you block a cut it will slide off your blade and make your parries easier sometimes. Holding it tight but not tight enough to hurt your own hand Cassandra. I will train you and you will learn," Cloud said in his instructing voice.   
  
"I didn't even say if I was going to go with you," Cassandra said with a smile creasing her face.  
  
Cloud looked away for a second because she was right he really hadn't asked if she wanted to travel with him. He had just figured that if she was still there in the morning then she would want to travel with him. "Well do you want to travel with me even though it will be dangerous," Cloud asked her.  
  
"Well I think that I would like to travel with you. I think that the safest place from my father is with you," Cassandra said hoping that she was right. She didn't know if even Cloud would keep her father away if he wanted her back.  
  
"Well let's get going Cassandra. I need to get going if I am to do what I said that I would do," Cloud said as he turned from her and started across the landscape.  
  
"What did you say that you would do," Cassandra asked politely. Cloud shook his head at her because he really couldn't believe that he was telling her anything at all. He didn't think that he would tell anyone anything about what he was doing and yet he was surprising himself about what he was willing to tell Cassandra.  
  
"I promised a friend that I would get back her children from whomever has taken them. I will find out where the people are and then I will kill whomever I have to in order to get the children back," Cloud said coldly as his eyes glowed.  
  
"Then I will travel with you wherever you go," Cassandra said just like Tifa would have Cloud thought and he missed Tifa at that moment though he would never let it show.  
  
*****  
  
Tifa couldn't believe that they Marlene and Yuffie had been thinking the same thing as she herself had been thinking. They had decided late at night that they would leave and try to find Cloud because they knew that he would need the help if he didn't think that he would and even if he thought that he didn't want them around.   
  
They only problem with what they were going to do was that they knew Cid and Vincent along with Barret would not be happy when they found out that they had left. They would probably come after them which wouldn't be al that bad since the whole group would be together again. It would be nice to travel again with everyone Tifa thought as she pulled on her fighting gloves and filled a backpack with what she thought that she would need.  
  
As she finished packing Marlene and Yuffie each came into her room with a backpack slung over their shoulders and their weapons ready in case they needed to fight monsters or something on the way. They had an idea of where Cloud would be heading but they were a little bit behind him so they would need something to help them catch up. That was why they were going to take Chocobos. It would allow them to cover twice as much ground and make sure that they didn't miss Cloud somewhere.  
  
Yuffie was fingering her weapon and Tifa noticed that she had a lot of shurikens on her belt and other places. Tifa could tell that Yuffie was glad that she was finally doing something even though they were going against what the letter had said that Cloud had to go alone. They hoped that the note didn't really mean that since if whoever had taken Yuffie's children meant that they would harm the children if anyone but Cloud had went.  
  
Tifa looked over at Marlene and saw that she had two pistols strapped to her sides in their holsters and she was wearing fighting gloves like Tifa herself was. Tifa had helped train Marlene in how to defend herself since she wanted her to be able to fight back if she was ever in trouble because of men trying to force themselves on her or if she had ever left the city and was attacked by monsters. Barret had felt that she needed to learn how to shoot a gun and so Marlene was good with multiple weapons instead of just one like most of them.   
  
Tifa had been practicing every day for the last twenty years and that was one of the reasons that she was in the shape that she was in. She had been determined to keep herself in top shape just in case she was needed to help people out again like in her old Avalanche days.   
  
She smiled at her friends and said, "Are you two ready then."   
  
"You bet Tifa. I am ready," Marlene said with all the enthusiasm of youth.  
  
"I am ready as well Tifa," Yuffie said without any hint of excitement like she would have had all those years ago. She was older now Tifa knew and that age had changed her, made her more wise.  
  
The three of them left the house silently not wanting to alert Cid and Barret who wouldn't be happy about Marlene going at all. The thing was Tifa needed Marlene to go which she knew was selfish of her but she needed Marlene because she was the only one that she was sure Cloud would talk to.  
  
*****  
  
It had been two days since Cloud had met up with Cassandra and he was starting to like her which he really didn't want to admit to himself. The thing was she reminded him of someone but he didn't know who. He shrugged his shoulders and didn't think about it again.   
  
They were outside of a small village that had just been built in the last ten years or so. The village was named Niren for the man who had been the founder. Cloud found that foolish because the man wasn't that great. No man was great enough in Cloud's opinion that they needed to be remembered by naming the town after that.  
  
"I have never been here," Cassandra said as she looked around. The village was larger than it appeared from outside of the village.   
  
"I have been here before but only a few times. I think the first thing that we will do is go find you a real weapon," Cloud said as he took the lead. He led her down streets and from door to door until he found the weapon shop. Once there he led her into the shop.  
  
The shop was dimly lit by only a small lamp in one corner. It was for effect Cloud knew but he wished there was more light for the simple fact it would be easier to inspect he weapons. He walked up to the counter and saw that there was no one in the shop. Cloud shook his head and decided that it didn't matter.  
  
"What do you want to try first Cassandra," Cloud asked her from the counter.  
  
"It doesn't matter. Give me whatever you think that I will be good at using," she replied from where she was standing.  
  
"No it doesn't work that way Cassandra. You chose the weapon that fits you the weapon doesn't always choose you," Cloud said as he reached up and grabbed a sword and walked over to where she was.  
  
"Try this Cassandra. The sword is a weapon that requires quick thoughts and reflexes which it seems to me that you have," Cloud said.  
  
"Ok Cloud I will try it," she replied.  
  
She took the sword from him and swung it around and tried to fight with it. It seemed to fit her hand perfectly and it wasn't overbalanced like many things that she had used in the past. She liked the sword and so she said, "I like this weapon Cloud. I think that I could learn to use it because it feels like it was made for my hand."  
  
Cloud nodded his head because he knew weapons and he knew people. He knew that the perfect weapon for her was the sword because she liked the knife. The knife was just a shorter version of the sword. She liked the way it looked Cloud could tell and so he placed the money on the counter and left with her in tow with her new sword.  
  
Cloud looked at her when they got outside and he said, "Would you like to rest here in the town for a day or two."  
  
"That would be nice. I am tired of sleeping outdoors and I could use a shower," she said with her eyes sparking at the thought of taking a shower. Cloud couldn't help but smile because he knew that for her it was a kind of hell not being able to shower every day like she wanted.  
  
"Well let's go and see if there are any rooms for rent shall we," Cloud said as they headed towards the inn.  
  
Once there Cloud asked if there were any rooms available and there was only one room so he said that he would take it. He turned and looked at Cassandra who looked nervous and he said, "What's wrong. You wanted to stay here and there was only one room so we are going to have to share ok."  
  
"It is not ok I just don't want you to think that you can take advantage of me just because I wanted to stay here," she said still nervous as Cloud thought she looked almost scared.  
  
"Listen I don't want anything from you. You can have the bed and I will sleep on the floor or somewhere so don't worry ok. I am not going to take advantage of you I can promise you that," Cloud said and he could tell that she seemed less scared at those words from him.  
  
With that they went upstairs to their room and Cloud saw that there was a couch in their room and he decided that he would sleep on that so that she wasn't worried about him trying to take advantage of her or anything else like that. He sat down on the couch and waited for Cassandra to come over to him like he knew that she would after she had put her things on the bed.  
  
She came over to Cloud and she asked curiously, "What are you doing. You are just sitting there. Don't you have anything to unpack or something to do."  
  
He looked up at her and smiled. "No I don't. All I have is my sword and that goes with me everywhere I go. I was just waiting here for you so that I could tell you that I am going down to the common room and get something to eat. You can join me when you are ready."  
  
"Ok Cloud I will do that. First though I need to take a shower so I would appreciate it if you would leave the room please," she said with her hands on her hips. Cloud knew the look and when Tifa got that look he knew that the best thing to do was to comply with whatever they wanted. Cloud stood up and left the room shaking his head.   
  
He still couldn't believe that he had brought her along but he had had another dream the night that she had shown up where Aeris had come to him and told him that she was important and that he should keep her close. He had thought that it was just a dream but he wasn't so sure now. He hoped that Aeris would come back to him because he wanted to talk to her again. He missed her so much it hurt at times.  
  
*****  
  
Reno was standing in a house that he hadn't been in for more than ten years. The last time that he had been there was when Tseng had wanted him to stop by and take care of his wife which he didn't do. Reno just couldn't bring himself to kill Tseng's wife which was something that Tseng couldn't do either. Now it seemed Tseng wanted his help with something else.  
  
Reno wandered why Tseng had changed so much in the last years. He had turned into a drunk and had wanted his wife killed. That wasn't the Tseng that he knew and Reno knew that there had to be a reason behind it. Those were thoughts for another day though Reno decided as Tseng walked into the room wearing his old Turks uniform with his sunglasses on.  
  
Tseng looked over to his old companion and said in his formal tone of voice that he had used back in the days of the Turks, "I need your help Reno."  
  
"Yeah you told me that Tseng but with what," Reno demanded because if it was to kill someone other than someone who needed it Reno wouldn't agree.  
  
"I need your help in getting my daughter back. She left and I would like her to come back home. I will even consent to let you marry her like you wanted to day a couple years ago if you help me get her back," Tseng said still in his business like voice.  
  
Reno couldn't believe it. He had seen Tseng's daughter two years before and she had been a beautiful woman and he had wanted to know if Tseng was wanting to marry her off. Tseng had refused but now he would get his wish if he helped Tseng get his daughter back for him. That was an opportunity that Reno couldn't pass up. "I will help you Tseng but where do we start looking," Reno asked frowning.  
  
At that time another man stepped into the room from the room that Tseng had been. The man was tall standing near six and a half feet tall with long black hair and eyes that shone blue in the dark. He had a sword strapped to his back and he was smiling. "My men have told me that the girl that you seek is with Cloud Stryfe. IF you head to the town of Niren now then you may get there in time to get her back. That is where they are at right now my men have told me. My men will be waiting for you there so if you please get there capture Cloud for me will you."  
  
"Yeah we'll do that," Reno said sarcastically. "We couldn't beat him twenty years ago like we could do it now."  
  
"Now now don't be that way. I know you can do it if you have enough men. Cloud isn't unstoppable you just have to know how to stop him," the man purred.   
  
Reno didn't like the man in the least but he knew when to shut up so he and Tseng left the house and went in search of a plane to take them to the town. Reno hoped that Cloud wasn't there because he had no wish to die. He was still too young to die and he had heard that Cloud wasn't afraid of killing a person now. In the old days Cloud had let them live but it seemed that had all changed with him being hunted for nearly twenty years.  
  
*****  
  
Tifa and her companions walked into the town of Niren. Hey were tired and they wanted to rest. They had pushed themselves extremely hard as well as their Chocobos. They went straight to the inn and stabled their mounts there and paid the stablehand a few gil in order to water and feed their mounts.   
  
They had covered a lot of ground in the last couple of days and all signs that they had found of Cloud had pointed to this small town. They hoped that he was still there but they weren't sure. It had been three days since they had left Costa Del Sol and they weren't sure that Cloud had actually come here.  
  
They wanted to rest for a day though and so they went into the inn and went to the owner to rent a room. He had only one room and that was because one of the men that had been staying there had vacated after a couple had come into the inn. The man had left in a hurry it seemed and hadn't even taken everything of his from the room it seemed.  
  
"Well do you want the room or not," Tifa asked her companions who looked as tired as she felt. She wondered if she looked that bad and that dirty. She hoped not but she knew that she could use a shower.   
  
"I would like the room if for no other reason than to take a shower," Marlene said and Yuffie nodded her head at that. She too wanted a shower and would welcome anything besides the ground to sleep on.   
  
"Ok then we will take the room how much," Tifa asked the owner.   
  
"It will be 100 gil a night," he said as he held out his hand. Tifa pulled out the coins and gave them to the man. It wasn't like she didn't have enough. Heck she had more than enough and that was why they were using Chocobos. She didn't want to walk everywhere because there would be no way that they could ever catch Cloud on foot.  
  
"Your room is the room that is the first on the left at the top of the stairs," the owner said.   
  
"Thank you," Tifa said as she led her companions up to the room. As they opened the door and went inside they failed to see a man with Spikey blonde hair and striking blue eyes come out of a room farther down the hall.  
  
*****  
  
Cloud walked down to the common room and sat there for over an hour before Cassandra came down to join him. Cloud had to admit that she looked a lot better after taking a shower and having her hair combed back from her face. Cloud frowned then for he didn't see her sword anywhere.  
  
"Where is your sword," Cloud asked her as she sat down next to him.  
  
"It is in the room yet. I didn't think that I would need it down here," she replied.  
  
"Your first lesson will be that you never leave your sword anywhere. You always take your weapon with you wherever you go because you never know when you will need it. The choice is yours though when to carry it and when not to carry it so I won't demand that you carry at all times because as much as I hate to admit it you don't need it all the time," Cloud said to her as a waitress came over their table.  
  
"Yeah I will have the special," Cloud said to the waitress.  
  
"Same here," Cassandra replied to the waitress's raised eyebrow.  
  
"Anything to drink," the waitress asked.  
  
"Just water," Cloud replied.  
  
"I'll have a soda," Cassandra said as the waitress took their orders and went to the back.  
  
They waited for about twenty minutes for their food and when it arrived Cassandra dove right in. She ate like she hadn't ate in a few days and Cloud was wondering about that. She must not have much money or she wouldn't be eating the way that she was.  
  
Cloud didn't say anything to her though and so he ate what was on his plate and looked around the room. He noticed that there weren't that many people there and he was wondering that meant. There should have at least been a few people in the common room eating or drinking or some such thing.  
  
Cloud got done eating and stood up. He was starting to get tired for some reason and he decided that he was going to go up and get some sleep. Cassandra looked up at him and asked with a hint of concern in her voice, "What's wrong?"  
  
"I am tired so I think that I will go up and go to sleep. Don't let me stop you from having fun though," Cloud said.  
  
"That's alright because I was going to go up and get some sleep myself," she replied as she stood up and they went up to the room and she laid down on the bed and put her back to Cloud who was laying on the couch. He didn't look at her because there would only be one woman for him and didn't know if he would ever find her.  
  
Cloud was back on the cliff edge overlooking the same scene that he had a few days ago. So he wasn't that surprised when Aeris walked up to him and sat down next to him. She looked at him and sadly shook her head.  
  
"What's wrong Aeris," Cloud asked concerned for her.  
  
She smiled at him then and said gently, "You are still worried about me even though I am gone. That is what makes you so special Cloud. You care for other people more than you do for yourself. Nothing is wrong with me though it is what is wrong with you."  
  
Cloud just sat there and wondered what she meant that there was something wrong with him. He felt fine and that was all that mattered to him. He turned to her and asked, "What do you mean."  
  
"I mean that you need to love again Cloud. Don't worry about being so distant just love the woman that you were meant to love. Tifa loves you Cloud even though she said those things," Aeris said but to tell the truth she wasn't sure that Tifa did love Cloud that way anymore. Aeris wondered if Tifa loved Cloud more like a brother now than anything else.  
  
"I honestly don't think that she does Aeris. I don't know why but the more I think about it the more I know that she is not the woman for me. I don't know why either but it is something that has been bothering me for some time now," Cloud said to Aeris who was his best friend at the moment.  
  
Aeris looked at Cloud and she hurt for him since he wouldn't let pain interfere with what he had to do. "Cloud I don't know for sure if she loves you but I would think that she does. I don't know things like that but what I do know is that you are needed to save the world once again," Aeris said getting serious.  
  
"I don't want to save the world. I want to save the children and nothing more. My life has been filled with too much pain and I am getting tired of it," Cloud answered her.  
  
"Don't worry when you save the children then you will have saved the world. Now though that you need the girl Cassandra at your side. She is one of the few that will be there for the last battle. When that happens you will to make a choice and I hope that you make the right one," Aeris said as she faded away into the mist that suddenly appeared.  
  
Cloud awoke and felt fully refreshed as if he had slept for an entire day. He stood up from the couch and then grabbed his sword and slung it over his shoulder. He walked to the door and he silently left the room so as not to disturb Cassandra.   
  
He guessed that he had slept for around five or six hours which in truth was plenty of rest for him. He walked down to the common room and went over to a corner table and sat down so that he could see the door and the stairs both to notice whoever came down the stairs or came in the door.  
  
Cloud just sat there for more than half an hour drinking nothing but water. It was early in the morning maybe 5:00 a.m. Cloud wasn't the least bit worried that he would be found by the people who wanted him because he was looking for ward to them finding him. He wanted to do something but he just couldn't leave like he wanted to while Cassandra was sleeping since he had said that she could travel with him.  
  
Cloud heard steps of maybe three people coming down the stairs and he turned so that he could see who it was. As the three people came down the stairs Cloud couldn't believe who he was seeing. He had left them behind hoping that they would stay there but it seemed Tifa was still as stubborn as she had always been which made Cloud smile.  
  
It was at that moment that Tifa saw Cloud and she inhaled sharply. She couldn't believe that he was actually down there sitting at the table. She couldn't believe it because she was sure that he had already left the town. She ran down the stairs and over to where Cloud was. She had expected him to stand up but he just sat there calmly like he had always been.  
  
She knew that he was acting that way because he still didn't believe them when she had said that they were sorry. She looked at Cloud who was across the table from her and she said happily, "Cloud we have found you!"  
  
"Yeah it seems that you have now what do you want," Cloud asked still with a slight smile on his face which was making Tifa wonder if he was half crazy.  
  
"We want to travel with you and to tell you that we really are sorry for the way that we acted," Tifa told Cloud.  
  
"Is that so. Well according to you I had to go alone but it seems that I won't be rid of you that much I know from our days together from so long ago. You might as well sit down and have something to drink Tifa. Same with you Yuffie, Marlene," Cloud said calmly.  
  
As the three of them sat down the door burst open and about a dozen men came running into the room. In the lead was a couple of men that Cloud knew quite well from a long time ago. Cloud shook his head as the pieces were coming together. It seemed everyone who was involved all those years ago were getting involved now as well.  
  
Reno was standing next to Tseng who were both wearing their Turk suits and their sunglasses. Tseng looked around the room and his eyes settled on Cloud and he growled out more like an animal than a human, "Where is my daughter Cloud. Tell me now and you can live."  
  
Cloud saw the expressions on the faces of his three companions and he had to smile at the looks that they were giving him. He couldn't help it because the looks were saying so you were traveling with a girl huh? "I don't know what you are talking about Tseng," Cloud said because he really didn't.  
  
"You know who I am talking about Cloud. The girl that you are traveling with the girl named Cassandra. That is my daughter," Tseng said.  
  
"So it seems that you weren't going alone anyway," Yuffie demanded of Cloud as her eyes blazed.  
  
Cloud shrugged his shoulders and he looked to the stairs to see that Cassandra was standing at the bottom of them with her sword on her back much like Cloud wore his. He shook his head because Cassandra yelled at her father, "I will go nowhere with you father. I will go where I want to and that is with Cloud!"  
  
"You will go where I want you to girl. Cloud won't be going anywhere because we were sent here to make sure that he didn't leave this place unless it was as our prisoner!" Tseng yelled right back to his daughter.  
  
Cloud slowly stood up and looked at his friends. "Well it seems that we shall see if any of you remember how to fight. In case you didn't know it we are a bit older and I believe that you two have slowed down," Cloud said smiling widely as the blood started to flow with pre-battle excitement.  
  
He looked over to Tseng and said pleasantly, "Well Tseng it seems that your daughter doesn't want to go with you. I don't want to go with you and so we are at a crossroads. What do you think that we should do about this."  
  
"The two of you have no choice in the matter," Tseng whispered in a cold voice to Cloud. With those words the men started to advance with their swords drawn. Cloud and his friends fanned out and they waited letting the enemies make the first move. 


	5. Scourage

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy 7 or it's characters

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy 7 or it's characters.

Scourge

The men rushed forward and Cloud grabbed the table that he had been sitting at and heaved it at the men in order to slow them down. Some of the men didn't stop quick enough and they ran right into the table and they collapsed under each other. There was then a ringing sound in the air and Cloud stood with his sword drawn and held in front of him.

The men stopped for a second as if to assess if they could beat just one man. While they were standing there Yuffie stepped up next to Cloud on the left and Tifa moved to his right and the two of them smiled at him. "Just like old times huh," Yuffie said finally happy that she was going to be able to vent some of her frustration on someone who would deserve it.

Marlene held back and the girl Cassandra stepped up next to her and drew her sword a bit shakily. She tried to hold it out in front of her like Cloud did but it just wavered in the air as if it was infused with her fright. Marlene looked over at her and smiled to her and whispered, "Don't worry Cloud won't lose. He has his old friends with him and I don't think that they can be beat. You will be fine."

"I hope so I don't want to go with my father. He used to beat me and I never want to go back to that. He also said once that I was very special and that when I was older I would find out why," Cassandra whispered back to Marlene and her voice shook with utter fear of her father and whatever her fate was supposed to be. 

Marlene reached over and squeezed the girl's shoulder and knew why Cloud hadn't turned her away then. Marlene would never have turned her away either. Marlene decided that she would do her best to keep Cassandra safe from anyone who might manage to get by the wall that was Cloud, Tifa, and Yuffie.

"Get Them!" Tseng yelled at the men who started forward again a bit more slowly this time not knowing what Cloud would do. It was he that they feared more than anything except maybe the leader of their order. They feared that man more than anything alive.

Cloud was silent as he moved forward to meet the first rush of men. He didn't care what happened to him but he would kill as many of the men as he could before they got him. Of course he guessed that they were told not to kill him only to subdue him which gave him a advantage because he didn't care if he killed them.

The first man Cloud came to swung his club for Cloud's head but Cloud ducked under the swing and thrust forward with his sword slicing the man on the inside of the leg dropping him to the ground where he dispatched him with a thrust to the chest. Cloud heard the whistle of a club moving through the air and he rolled forward coming up facing away from the door to see who swung at him. The man was surprised to find that he hadn't hit Cloud who had just been sitting there with his back to him. He saw Cloud standing there and as he took a step toward Cloud he felt something hit him in the back and he pitched forward.

Cloud saluted Yuffie who had taken the man with one of her throwing stars. He then turned as man rushed him from the side and he swung his down in a cross slash which the man jumped back from. The man landed and swung his club low which Cloud took on the leg. Cloud didn't even feel it though and the man's eyes widened as Cloud stepped forward and brought his sword down in a overhand slash and cleaved the man in two. Cloud turned back to see how his friends were doing.

*****

Yuffie was surprised to find that Cloud charged forward and how easily he dispatched his first enemy. She was almost frightened by how easily the killing came for Cloud. He didn't even slow up when he had killed the man it was as if it was nothing new to him. Yuffie had seen that one man was trying to hit Cloud from behind and she didn't like that so she threw one of her stars and took the man in the back. The man fell forward and Cloud saluted her which for some reason made her feel better.

After she killed that man she looked for her next target. She didn't really want to kill them unless it was necessary because she wanted answers and the men were the only way she was going to get them. A man rushed her and she took him in the eye with her throwing star and she shook her head. She was tired of killing but she knew that it was just beginning if she was going to get her children back.

That was when she felt something smash her in the side of the head from behind her. She pitched forward and heard a man yell, "I got the one who is using those damn stars!"

Yuffie tried to rise but the man put his boot in the middle of her back and hissed into her ear. "If you want to die then try and stand. I won't hesitate to kill you because I was told that you were going to be a prize once we had Cloud. The same goes with the other two women that are friends of Cloud."

Yuffie didn't try to stand again and she hoped that the others were doing better than she was. She hoped that Marlene would be fine because Yuffie had tried to protect the two girls. Yuffie knew that Marlene had never been in a real fight and she hoped that Marlene didn't have to fight because it changed a person the first time that you killed someone Yuffie knew.

*****

Tifa watched Cloud charge forward and take out one man faster than she had thought was possible. Tifa though hadn't stood around after he had charged for she had moved to the left hoping to intercept from of the men that way and keep them from Marlene and the other girl.

Tifa met the first man and he brought his club around in a swing for her stomach which she blocked with her left hand. She held the club with her hand and stepped in close and punched the man in the throat with her right hand. The man's throat was crushed from the blow and he fell to the floor. 

Tifa whipped around just in time to see another man coming up from behind her. She ran in low keeping her body as low to the ground as she could. The man swung the club for her and she tried to dodge but with such a low center of gravity she couldn't move quickly enough and she took the club on the shoulder. She felt her shoulder dislocate and she charged right into the man. He fell down with her on top and she punched him in the head knocking him out. 

That was when she felt something bash her in the side of the head and she crumpled to the ground. She didn't know anything but darkness after that. The man who had hit her smiled and he looked over to Cloud who had just got done dispatching another man. 

The man smiled because he was looking forward to the day that he and Cloud would duel. That wasn't to be today though. The man had just wanted to show up and see how Cloud had aged and see if he had slowed down any in his old age. The man who had hit Tifa walked from the room out the back and as the door closed behind him he shimmered and in the place of the man with the club who had been short was a man who stood over six feet tall. He had long black hair and a sword strapped to his back. His eyes were ice blue and to anyone who would have watched they would have sworn that he was the twin of Sephiroth even though their features were a bit different. This man had hard features that looked to be chiseled from stone instead of flesh.

*****

Cloud had turned to see how his friends were doing and he saw that Yuffie was down with a man standing on her back talking to her. He looked over and saw that Tifa was unconscious from taking a blow to the head no doubt. He wasn't in the mood to play with the men and so he pulled a knife from his belt and threw it at the man on Yuffie's back. The knife spun through the air and hit the man in the throat. 

The stepped back off of Yuffie as his blood sprayed down and coated him and Yuffie both. The man clutched his throat trying to stop the flow of blood but it was useless for Cloud had him in the vein. The man collapsed to the ground as his life continued to pump from him.

Cloud looked and saw two men trying to come up from behind him. He spun around and charged the man on the left. The man on the right swung his club and Cloud knocked it aside with his blade which left him open to the man on the left who swung his club for Cloud's head. Cloud ducked under it just barely and swung his own sword down in a diagonal cut that slashed the man across the chest and stomach. The man fell back against the wall holding his stomach. The other man kicked out at Cloud and hit Cloud in the knee. Cloud fell to the ground but rolled to the side at the last second as the club smashed into the floor where his head had been a second before. As he came to his feet he felt a slash on his back and he whipped around to see another man who had a sword.

Cloud ducked as the sword whistled for his head and he felt a club crack into his back as he ducked. Cloud swung around with his sword extended low and the man with the club didn't' move fast enough as the sword cut into his leg. Cloud moved forward away from the man with the sword and as he did he stomped on the man's throat who he had cut in the leg making sure he wouldn't have to deal with him later.

The man with the sword charged forward and swung the sword in a cut for cloud's chest. Cloud easily blocked the attack and shoved the man back due to Cloud's greater strength. The man stumbled but retained his feet. He charged forward again and swung low this time and cloud blocked that cut as well. The man brought his sword straight up in a vertical cut hoping to catch Cloud offguard but he didn't and Cloud stepped back from the cut.

The man had put too much strength behind the slash and the cut made him off balance after he missed. Cloud took advantage and brought his sword down cutting into the man's neck and killing him instantly while spraying Cloud with the man's blood. Cloud looked around and saw that there were two men that had were advancing on Marlene and Cassandra and he couldn't get there because at that time Tseng and Reno stepped in front of him with their guns drawn.

*****

Marlene couldn't believe what she was seeing. She had seen Yuffie beaten by a man who had snuck up behind her but then Cloud had took care of him like he was everyone else. It seemed that he was nothing more than a killing machine because she noted that when he had men wounded and could leave them alone he always finished them off.

There were only about two men left and those men were heading towards Marlene and Cassandra. Marlene was a bit scared for even though she had practiced a lot she had never been in a actual fight so she didn't know what she would do if she had to fight the men which she knew that she would.

The first man went straight for Marlene and she ran forward just like she had been taught keeping low to the ground. The man swung his club which just missed Marlene because she was so low to the ground. She then came in close to the man a came up fast while bringing her fist up in a uppercut which caught the man in the jaw and sent him reeling. She kept on him and kicked him in the leg and then again in the arm. When she kicked him in the arm he dropped the club. Marlene ran in close and hit the man in the temple after shoving aside his feeble attempt at a block.

She turned and saw that Cassandra had her sword out and was blocking the attacks sent at her clumsily. She could barely get the sword in the way in order to block them and Marlene knew that she didn't have long before the man broke her feeble defense.

Marlene ran forward and just as she was about to kick out at the man he whipped around and swung the club in a arc. She tried to duck the club but she was too slow and the club grazed her head making her fall to the floor. She couldn't stand because it had been a bit more than a graze but she wasn't out of the fight totally if she had a few minutes then she would be able to help out some more. She just needed to get her bearings.

The man turned back to Cassandra who was holding the sword but it was shaking badly as was she. The man smiled and said, "Guess what girl. You are now ours and there is nothing any of your new friends can do about it."

She swung the sword wildly and the man dodged easily. She swung again and he just knocked it aside with his club. He then stepped forward and brought the club down on her wrist breaking her hold on her weapon and it clattered to the floor. He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her close as he hissed, "You are lucky that we are not allowed to have our way with you."

*****

"Get out of my way or I will hurt you. Once long ago you made the right decision by walking away let's see if you can do it twice," Cloud said coolly to the men barring his way to his friends.

"I don't think that we can do that. You see we want my daughter and we won't leave without her," Tseng said.

"That is your problem then because she doesn't want to go with you anywhere," Cloud growled. He wasn't in the mood for talking.

He charged forward taking them both by surprise and cut down with his sword. The blade bit deep into Reno's arm and Reno dropped his gun to the floor. He turned and fled the room and Tseng fired a shot at Cloud who didn't even try to block it. The bullet tore into his upper arm and Cloud didn't even notice it. He was intent on getting to Tseng and killing him. 

Tseng had never seen Cloud this way and he knew that in Cloud's eyes there was nothing but death. His own death and he was scared of it which rankled just a bit. He had never truly been afraid of anything and yet here he was afraid of being killed. Cloud was only five paces from Tseng when Tseng brought up his gun. He looked right at Cloud and said in a shaky voice, "Stop where you are Cloud. I will shoot you if you step forward. Don't come any closer I swear it."

Cloud looked at Tseng and smiled coldly. Cloud couldn't help it because the man was a utter fool. If the man had known that Cloud had been hunted for so long and his life tore away from him then he wouldn't have threatened to kill him. Death no longer held any fear for Cloud. In fact Cloud was looking forward to the day he was killed it would be nice to see death and then to see Aeris. Cloud said coolly, "Then shoot Tseng and see if you or I die. I know the answer to that but do you."

Cloud saw a drop of sweat slid down the side of Tseng's face. Then Cloud noticed that the muscles in Tseng's arm bunch and his hand start to tense. Cloud knew what was going to happen and so Cloud ran forward surprising Tseng and he knocked the gun from his hand. Cloud grabbed Tseng by the throat then and hissed, "Tell the man to let Cassandra go unless he wants to join his friends on the floor. The same goes for you Tseng."

Tseng couldn't believe what had happened. He was going to shoot Cloud and then the next thing that Tseng knew was that Cloud had his hand around his throat. Then he heard what Cloud said and Tseng was trembling in fear. He was old and now he feared death more than ever. "Release her," Tseng called out.

The man looked at Tseng and said, "I can't do that Tseng. Your life doesn't mean anything but I was told to capture the girl."

"Damn it you heard me release her. You are under my command," Tseng yelled not believing that the man had been given different orders than to follow Tseng.

"Sorry but I outrank you here," the man replied. Cloud was tired of this and he pinched a nerve in Tseng's neck which made him fall unconscious. Cloud then turned on the man. The man was tall maybe six foot three and he had short blonde hair. His eyes were hard and Cloud could tell that the man was a killer plain and simple. He had the look of hardness around the eyes and he had a hand that kept clenching as if he wished that he had a sword in his hand. Cloud was about to give him his wish.

"Pick that sword up and fight me," Cloud said to the man and Cloud smiled. He knew that he was about the last man on the planet that most men would want to fight but he also knew that a lot of men who were evil wanted to make a name for themselves and the best way to do that was by killing Cloud. Too many of those men had died in the last twenty years trying to make themselves famous at the expense of Cloud.

As the man released Cassandra a throwing star laced into his face. The man fell back clutching his face and Cloud rushed forward and sliced his sword across the man's throat killing him. Cloud then looked back and started to locate his friends. He saw that Cassandra was fine and so was Yuffie except that she was holding her head. Tifa and Marlene were unconscious but so was another man and he was going to get questioned once he woke up. 

Cloud walked over and picked up Tifa and turned to Yuffie and asked, "Where is your room?"

"It is upstairs the first door on the left," Yuffie replied as she walked around and retrieved her throwing stars.

Cloud headed upstairs and Cassandra and Yuffie followed him. He opened the door and walked to the bed and laid Tifa down on the bed. He turned to Yuffie and said, "Watch her while I go get Marlene."

Cloud walked back downstairs and there he saw a man standing over Marlene with a smile on his face. Cloud didn't know the man but he knew that he wasn't here to help Marlene. The man had long black hair that glistened in the light and he had blue eyes that were much like Cloud's except that they didn't glow nearly as much. The man stood six foot and four inches tall and had a sword strapped to his back.

The man turned to look at Cloud and he smiled. He knew that Cloud didn't know him and that was OK. All that mattered was that he knew Cloud and one day soon Cloud would know him. "It is good to see that you have survived once again Cloud. You and I shall meet in the near future and then we shall see who is greater," the man said pleasantly as he walked towards the door. 

Cloud noticed the sword on his back then and he almost stumbled the last step down. The sword was the same as that used by Sephiroth, but that had to be impossible thought Cloud. He had killed Sephiroth and there was no way that he could have survived.

Cloud shook his head to clear it as the man left the building and Cloud walked over to Marlene and picked her up in his arms. She was so light and seemed to him to be so fragile. Cloud shook his head for the second time this time though sadly. Cloud couldn't believe that he had let Marlene get hurt and that was something that he was going to never allow again if he could help it. 

He owed it to her for being the only one who hadn't turned their back on him when he had returned. He kissed her lightly on the forehead and then carried her upstairs and laid her on the bed next to Tifa. He looked at the two women and then over at Yuffie. He realized that no matter what he thought he knew that he was always going to love the three of them just like sisters if never more than that.

Cloud walked downstairs and picked up the only man that was alive and carried him upstairs as well. He placed him in a chair and then he and the rest of his friends waited. Cloud woke Tifa and Marlene by splashing some water on their faces and when they came to they smiled to see that everyone was alive. They didn't ask questions though because of the look that Cloud had on his face. They knew that as soon as the man awoke the questioning would begin.


	6. Truth's Revealed

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy or it's characters

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy or it's characters.

Truth's Revealed

The man opened his eyes to a pounding headache. That wasn't what made him nervous though what made him nervous were the blue eyes that were glowing with anger and the man that those eyes belonged to. The man was Cloud and his friends were there with him. 

Cloud looked at the man and could see the fear in his eyes. Cloud smiled to himself and knew why the man was scared. Staring into the eyes like Cloud's that were different would unnerve most people. Cloud decided that he might as well start it and he said to the man coldly, "Who sent you here."

The man looked around nervously as if someone was there trying to listen in and then he said, "Our leader Saren. He sent us and told us that he wanted you alive. He wanted Marlene and Cassandra alive as well and perhaps Tifa if it was possible."

"Why," Cloud demanded. 

"Because he said that he needed all of you. He had two of the ones that he needed he had told us and now he needed the final pieces. You were some of those pieces," the man said as his voice trembled. He was terrified of Cloud because he had heard the stories.

"Well what are we needed for do you know," Tifa asked from behind Cloud who didn't seem to mind that she had asked a question.

"No I don't know lady," the man said politely hoping that he would be spared if he was cooperative. 

"How about my children. Are they all right. Are Joren and Sky alright," Yuffie demanded. 

Cloud looked over to Yuffie and decided that those were the names of her children. At least he had learned that much now and the questioning wasn't a total loss Cloud decided. The man wasn't quite as terrified and Cloud wondered why. He didn't really care it was just that Cloud was curious.

"The two of them are alright as far as I know. They are being treated gently I was told," the man said.

"They haven't used my daughter have they. She is seventeen and if they have done anything to her then I can assure you that none of you will live," Yuffie said her eyes blazing with anger at the thought of the men harming her daughter in that way. 

Cloud thought that if the men had raped the girl then he would be the first there to kill them all. No one would escape him because he would save the children and he would take care of the enemy. Cloud would become death to those men if they had done that to Yuffie's daughter because deep down Cloud felt that it was his fault if anything happened to those children who weren't really children. 

"No lady the girl has not been harmed in that way. We were assured that we weren't allowed to touch her if we wanted to live," the man said and Cloud believed him. Cloud could tell the man wasn't lying to save his own skin the man was telling the truth hoping that it would save him which it would.

Cloud looked around at his friends and then asked them, "Any other questions."

They all shook their heads but Cloud had one question left. "Are you working with any other groups trying to take me," Cloud asked.

"No we aren't. If there are other people after you it is for their own reasons," the man stammered out in fear from the look in Cloud's eyes.

Cloud walked over to the man and cut him loose from the chair that he had been tied to. The man stood up slowly much like a terrified rabbit would have. He looked at them and then Cloud said, "Go before I change my mind. If I do then you won't leave this room."

The man ran from the room and Yuffie started to go after him but Cloud grabbed her by the arm. "What are you doing," Yuffie demanded as she yanked her arm from Cloud's grip.

"I am letting him go. The reason for that is because I am getting tired of killing Yuffie. I want you to know something. The more you kill the more you yourself die. With each death a part of you is lost forever. I have lost myself Yuffie and that is why killing is so easy for me," Cloud said trying to convince Yuffie not to kill the man. Cloud knew what he said was partially true but Cloud didn't believe what he said. He killed because it was what he was good at. Cloud felt that he had died long ago and so it didn't affect him anymore.

Cloud could tell that his words had affected Yuffie though and he knew that she was thinking about it. The times in her life that had been the happiest were those times that she wasn't killing anyone. Cloud looked and saw that the others were thinking the same thing and he just shook his head. He walked over to the couch in the room and sat down.

Tifa saw him and she could tell that he felt left out. She didn't know how but she knew that he was torturing himself over something. She thought either that or he was just thinking about all the people that he had killed over the years and that was when she thought about something. She walked over to him and sat down next to him. "Cloud will you tell us now where you have been these last twenty years," Tifa asked gently while placing a hand on his shoulder.

He looked over to her and couldn't believe that she still wanted to know. The nerve of her he thought. Cloud thought that she believed he had just deserted them and he decided at that moment to put that idea to rest. He was going to tell them where he had been and he didn't care whether or not they liked or believed it.

Tifa noticed that his eyes hardened at that question and she could tell that he was still angry at them for the way that they had acted. There was nothing that she could do about it though. The others noticed that Cloud's eyes hardened too and they stepped back unconsciously. 

"I'll tell you where I have been. I left remember and I told you that I had to do something. Well for the first two years I searched the world hoping to find a way to bring Aeris back and yet I found nothing. That was when I found out that I was being hunted. After those two years were up I was going to come back to all of you but as I just said I found out that I was being hunted," Cloud started in a voice that was as frosty as the winter wind.

"Who was hunting you," Marlene asked curiously because she really wanted to know who would hunt Cloud.

"Hojo was hunting me and he wanted me for more of his experiments. I was on the run for another five years and then they finally caught me. They ran tests on me among other things. That is why I am so different now. They used more Mako on me and in fact I have so much in me now that my eyes literally glow," Cloud said and then went silent.

"What about the rest of the time Cloud. I know you don't want to talk about it but please tell us. You don't have to elaborate just tell us what you did for the rest of the time," Tifa said gently.

"I went hunting after five years of torture. The rest of the time was spent hunting Hojo after I was freed. I hunted him mercilessly. I killed all his men and anyone who sided with him. No one lived that I came across who was with him except the women because I couldn't bring myself to hurt them no matter how insane I was at the time," Cloud spat out at them as he stood up and left the room abruptly.

Tifa couldn't believe what she had just heard. Cloud had been hunted and then tortured. She couldn't believe that anyone could catch Cloud and she couldn't even imagine what had happened to him in those years. It was no wonder that he didn't want to talk about it. 

Cassandra had heard from her father about Cloud being captured but she had never believed it but now she did. She felt for Cloud and yet she didn't even know why because she didn't know him that well at all. All that she knew for certain was that he had been kind to her and then fought for her when she was in trouble. 

Yuffie felt bad about the way she had acted now that she had found out why he had been missing for so long. She didn't know how she could ever say she was sorry to Cloud and she felt that perhaps she had destroyed her friendship with him due to her own sadness. She couldn't imagine the way he had felt at that time when she had said those terrible things to him at Tifa's house. She would understand if he didn't ever want to talk to her again. For five of the years that he had been gone he hadn't been able to come and see them for the simple fact that he had been a prisoner. She and Tifa knew at that moment that the reason he had never returned wasn't because he was hunting those men it was because he didn't want them to get involved. He had wanted them to live their own lives without the fear of having to fight. She loved Cloud like a brother and she would never forgive herself for what she had said to him.

Marlene had never known Cloud very well because she was so young and so she didn't know what to feel at that moment. The only thing she knew was that he had returned to them when they had asked him to. He had come and vowed to help them and then all he had gotten from all of them was yelled at for not being there while he had been away. She understood why he hadn't wanted to tell them though. It was painful she was sure for him and he hadn't wanted anyone else to feel the pain that he was feeling every day of his life.

They all watched him go and each was lost in their own thoughts. That was when tears started to fall from Yuffie's and Tifa's eyes. They looked at each other and whispered at he same time, "We're sorry Cloud. We didn't know we are so sorry."

*****

Cloud walked into the room that he shared with Cassandra and lept over the couch to lay on it. He laid his head back and closed his eyes and all he wanted to do was sleep. The thing was that he knew that he couldn't sleep for he had already slept. He just wanted to forget though. 

He closed his eyes and his mind was filled with images from his past. The images of when he was a prisoner. He wished that the memories would go away but they wouldn't. Cloud knew that the memories would be with him until the day that he died whenever that would be. The memories flooded his mind and he just sat there and replayed them over in his mind.

_Cloud had just freed himself from his holding cell. He had cuts all over his body from where Hojo had seen fit to cut him just for the sheer fun of it. Cloud had left four guards dead in his cell and had taken one of their guns for his own use. He had nothing on except a pair of shorts and as he ran his muscles bunched and sweat ran down his body to sting in the wounds covering his body._

Cloud no longer cared who he killed he just wanted to get out. He was tired of al the torture. They had tried to flay him alive and then they had used pins and stuck them in his body all over and then left him there for over a day. He couldn't lay down because they were in his back so he had to stand for the whole time more than 24 hours. 

They had done other things such as dousing him with alcohal after he was cut in so many places and another was covering him in leeches and then dumping him in a tank full of boiling water to remove the leeches. He was told that they were tests to see if what they had injected him with was actually enhancing his body. It was and so they kept using the stuff and trying out other things on him to see if they could create the perfect human and when they did then they would kill him and make soldiers.

Cloud had never once cried out in pain because he wasn't going to give Hojo the satisfaction. He had taken everything that they had thrown at him and had lived. Then when they had thought that he was too weak to do anything and the guards had decided to have a little fun then he had freed himself at their expense. 

Now he ran through the halls and had decided that he was going to kill Hojo before he left. He rounded a corner and a man was surprised to see Cloud free. His surprise was his death as cloud shot him in the head and ran on. Cloud came to a room where he thought that Hojo might be. He saw readouts on many different people and then he saw that something read The Cetra Cells of Aeris. Cloud didn't know what he was doing with that but he took the vial that read that and he drank that. He didn't care if it killed him but he wouldn't let Hojo have anything that had belonged to Aeris. 

At that time the room lit up brightly and a score of men ran in. Following behind them came Hojo. He was smiling as he pushed his glasses back up on his head and then put his hands behind his back like he always did. "Ah Cloud you continue to amaze me. Is there anything that you won't do for to keep yourself safe. Is there anything that I can do that can break your spirit," Hojo wondered outloud.

_"If you let me go then you will be the only one that dies," Cloud hissed as the blood ran down his chest and arms from his cuts. _

"I don't think so Cloud. You see right now I have sent four squadrons of men to the houses of each of your friends. If you don't surrender now then they will die," Hojo said as he smiled at Cloud. The smile held no warmth just a cold evilness.

"What say I kill you and everyone else here then your men won't do anything," Cloud said coldly.

"That is where you are wrong. You must be in more pain than I thought if you failed to see that I would have already given them the order to kill them unless they get word from me within a short amount of time," Hojo said as if lecturing a child.

Cloud knew that he was right and so he let the gun fall from his fingers. Cloud wouldn't put his friends in danger no matter what happened to him. He would continue to let them experiment on him until he could get away and take care of the men that would be after his friends.

Cloud whispered with his eyes closed, "You will die Hojo and there is nothing that will keep you safe. Not even an entire army will keep you from me."

*****

It was a somber party that climbed onto their chocobos and rode out of the small village. Cloud had paid for the damages to the inn and then he had went and bought himself and Cassandra a mount so that they could keep up with the rest of the group. Cloud had known that he couldn't turn any of them away and he knew that somehow they were important to what he had to do.

None of them spoke as they rode out of the village and headed for the next village. They didn't care where they ended up because they knew that eventually they would get to the island. They also knew that they couldn't leave from Costa Del Sol because that would be watched and so they decided to try a different way of getting to the island.

They rode across the land and none of them noticed a dark haired man watching them from a distant hill. He was the same man who had knocked Tifa unconscious and had left her there. He was the same man that knew that he and Cloud would one day fight to the death. He smiled as the wind whipped his Cloak about behind him and the man pulled his sword from it's sheath and looked at it.


	7. A Path Found

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy 7 or it's characters

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy 7 or it's characters.

Author's note: I thank everyone who has been reading this and reviewing it. Please feel free to review until your hearts content because it will help me with the story line among other things. This chapter will make more sense later in the story so please don't feel too confused while you read it.

A Path Found

_Coud was back on the rocky outcropping and he was getting used to being there because he knew that Aeris was going to show up and talk to him. Whenever she did that he found out a little more of what he needed to know and do. He was glad for her help and he was glad that she hadn't deserted him fully like she could have done after dying all those years ago._

"Coud it is good that you are here. I have been allowed to tell you something that will be vital to your quest. You must find the ancient city of the magical people," Aeris said getting right to the point for a change which Cloud wished that she wouldn't have.

"How am I to do that. I don't even know who the magic people were," Cloud asked her bitterly for he was tired of being powerless.

"You will find the way. As for who the magic people were they were a race of people who were born with the ability to cast magic before the planet started to die. The Cetra are descendants of them and that was why we had the powers that we did. You see Cloud there have been other subraces of humans before us. Each left their own mark upon the world and when we die the mark that we will leave is the Mako reactors and other such things. There were the people who left the knowledge of sword craft and the knowledge of how to fashion those swords," Aeris explained a little to Cloud hoping that it would be enough. If it wasn't she would be spending the whole night teaching Cloud about the different people who had lived on the planet and what each had meant.

She needn't have worried though because Cloud didn't much care. He cared about doing what he needed to do. "I see Aeris. Is there a way that I will find in my travels to this place," Cloud asked.

"It is not a way but a person who will lead you there. I will let you decide who it is but I will say that it is one of your companions. She will lead you there if you let her. She won't realize what she is doing but she will lead you anyway. It is in her blood to go there much as it was mine to go to my death that time so long ago," Aeris said but she smiled to take the sting out of her last words.

"But I must decide who it is isn't that right. And this person can she use the magic like her ancestors or not," Cloud asked truly wanting to know the answer.

"I don't honestly know Cloud. I don't know everything but I know that you will be fighting a enemy that you thought was dead. That much I can tell you and now I must go," Aeris said as she turned from Cloud and faded away as she walked.

Cloud opened his eyes to see that everyone was ready and waiting for him. "Well it seems he has risen from the land of the dead," Tifa said cheerfully.

"Yeah I am up now. You could have woken me Tifa," Cloud said to her though he smiled at her jest.

"And risk getting my head cut off I don't think so," Tifa said as she flipped her head back haughtily. 

"Where to Cloud," Marlene asked and Cloud looked at her and then at Cassandra. Cloud knew it had to be one of them but he didn't know which one it would be. He was the leader and they wouldn't like it if he asked one of them which way to go but he was going to do it anyway he just didn't know which one.

Cloud looked from one to the other and frowned. "What are you looking at Cloud," Cassandra asked when she noticed him watching her and Marlene.

"I'm thinking," Cloud said and Yuffie couldn't resist it.

"Oh boy we are going to be here awhile I believe. The last time Cloud thought he nearly broke a blood vessel in his head," Yuffie said happily to everyone who cared to listen.

"Quiet you little thief," Cloud said but he smiled glad that things were getting back to normal with his friends.

"Thief I am hurt Cloud. I haven't stolen anything in a very long time," Yuffie said defensively and a toss of her head.

"I wouldn't know I haven't checked my materia in a while," Cloud shot right back to her.

"Would you two children stop it and let Cloud get back to what he was doing," Tifa scolded them just like a mother would but she was trying to keep from laughing. It was good to see Cloud jesting again and not being so cold all the time.

Cloud decided that he would let both Marlene and Cassandra choose which way to go since between them he knew that he should get the answer that he wanted. He hoped that he would anyway. He knew that it was one of the two of them and he guessed that it was Cassandra but he wasn't sure. If he was wrong he would in a while and he would ask Tifa or Yuffie though he hoped that he was right.

"Cassandra and Marlene I want you to chose which we go next. Both of you confer and we will go the way that you feel we must," Cloud said finally.

Tifa walked over to Cloud and asked quietly, "Why are you letting them chose Cloud. You should chose to which port we go because we need a ship."

Marlene, Yuffie, and Cassandra were too stunned by what Cloud had said to do anything for a few seconds. Then Marlene asked in a shaky voice, "Us. You want us to chose." 

"That is correct," Cloud said and then he turned back to Tifa and whispered to her. "We can't go to a port city because they will all be watched and they will more than likely have sufficent numbers to defeat even us Tifa. I am looking for another way and one of them knows it but doesn't realize it."

"I hope you know what you are doing," Tifa whispered.

"So do I," Cloud said quietly as he stared at Marlene and Cassandra as they talked together.

The two girls talked for about two or three minutes privately and then as one they turned back to Cloud and said in unison, "We should go to the mountains north of here." As they finished they looked at each other and blushed a bit for they didn't know that they were going to say the same thing at the same time. They had agreed that only one of them would reply.

Cloud smiled and said, "To the mountains we go then." The companions mounted up and headed towards the mountain range in the far north. It had been many days since the last time that they were at a village and they had just been wandering around hoping to find some clue as where to go and it had finally happened when Aeris had spoken to Cloud.

Cloud and his companions mounted up and rode off north and Cloud couldn't help but think that he was taking the girls and his friends into a lot of danger just because he was too weak to send them away. He wished that he could send them away but yet he just knew that he needed them with him for some reason. He couldn't say why but he had learned to trust his feelings and they had never led him astray. 

Cloud led the group north for more than a week and they never saw anyone or any monsters and Cloud was starting to wonder what the deal was. He had expected to meet some type of monster when they had neared the trees more than four days ago and yet they traveled through the trees without meeting anything. It was starting to make him worry a bit because he remembered that monsters used to be everywhere.

Cloud didn't voice his fears though because none of the others seemed to worried about he lack of monsters and so he decided that in his time away something must have happened that cut down on their population. They talked of small things while they rode ever north and Cloud didn't much pay attention until Yuffie said, "I wish that you could have met my children Cloud."

Cloud stopped his Chocobo and turned to look at Yuffie. He couldn't believe that she had said that to him. He had thought that she was glad that he hadn't been there most of the time. The only time that she seemed to be mad that he wasn't around was when her children had been taken and he couldn't really fault her for that.

"I would have liked that Yuffie. I would have liked that very much," Cloud said as he turned to face the front.

"I think that you would have liked Sky the better of the two twins though just because she had chosen the sword as her weapon just like her famous uncle Cloud used," Yuffie said and when Cloud turned back once again to look she was smiling and he knew that she really wasn't angry at him anymore and he couldn't say why but that mattered a lot to him.

"Was she very good," Cassandra asked wanting to know about Yuffie's family as well.

"Oh yes she was good but she had never seen a battle before and that was why she was taken with such ease. Of course she had always wanted her great uncle Cloud to show up and teach her how to use her blade properly," Yuffie said quietly.

"How about your son," Cassandra asked and Marlene perked up at that and Cloud almost smiled at her. He guessed that she knew the boy a little better than anyone else because maybe they had dated but he wasn't sure. 

"My son chose his father's weapon the handgun. He had a good eye and a quick hand which made him a good shot and very dangerous. The problem with the gun though is that it will run out of bullets and then you have nothing but a hunk of metal in your hand," Yuffie said as she shook her head at the foolishness of guns as she saw it.

"My son was happy to take his father's footsteps and I had hoped that my daughter would follow in mine but she wanted to be like you Cloud," Yuffie said as the tears started to fall at the memories of her children. 

Cloud's heart would have broken to see her that way if it hadn't broken so long ago. Tifa dropped back and put an arm around Yuffie and held her. Cloud couldn't help it now not being there that was but he could apologize, "I am so sorry Yuffie. I never meant to hurt you or your children. I promise you though that nothing will keep me from freeing your children not even Sephiroth himself if he was still alive!"

"I understand Cloud but it is not that I blame you anymore it is just that it is so painful not having them around," Yuffie sobbed into Tifa's shoulder.

Cloud turned back and they rode hard the rest of the day. Cloud wanted to get to the mountains within the next day or two since they were so close. As it turned out it only took them two days to get to the foot of the mountains and then Cloud asked which way now.

They pointed off into the mountains and Cloud took the lead once again only this time they had to walk because none of their Chocobos were those that could run up and over mountains with the ease at which some ran over water and others just the land. As Cloud led he pulled out his sword and put the materia into the blade. He looked back over his shoulder and said, "All of you be ready. I don't know what will be here but my guess is that nothing here will be all that friendly."

He heard the noise of Cassandra pulling out her sword and he heard Tifa pulling on her fighting gloves. He heard the metal on metal sound of Yuffie and her throwing stars sliding together. Then he heard the sound of leather against skin which meant that Marlene was putting on her fighting gloves as well. Cloud shook his head and knew that if there were snipers near then they were all done for but he had to hope that there were none.

Cloud led the way up the mountain hacking at small stunted trees that got in his way to clear them out so that the others could move on up. Once or twice he heard someone slip behind him and when he would turn to see who it was they would all be holding someone and saying soothing word to ease their fear. Cloud wasn't good at easing people's fears because he didn't have many. Once it was Tifa who nearly fell and another time Marlene. Even surefooted Yuffie tripped once and nearly took Cassandra down the mountain with her but Cloud leaped back and caught them both and kept them near him after that. 

The slope that they were climbing wasn't that steep but it was dangerous because of all the lose rock and other things that a person could trip on. There were tree roots and small stones that were jutting up from the ground as well as holes and other such hazards. As a group they found a lot of those hazards but none of them fell back down the mountain thanks to the help of the others.

As they walked on Cloud noticed that all of his companions were getting tired and so he called a rest. He thought that they would appreciate it since they didn't have the benefit of the Mako energy that he did. That and he had other side effects thanks to Hoja and his experiments.

"We'll rest here for a bit," Cloud said as he sat down with his back to a rather large rock. They were maybe halfway up the base of the mountain and they knew that they had a ways to go yet and so they all welcomed the rest as Cloud had thought that they would.

"I wish that we would hurry up and get there," Yuffie said impatient to get to wherever they were going.

"We will get there my friend," Tifa said as she sank down gratefully and sat with her legs crossed in front of her.

Marlene sat down and stretched her legs out because she was afraid that they would cramp on her which she couldn't have while climbing a mountain. She didn't know why they were going to the mountain range especially since there wasn't anything there. It wasn't even connected to anything else. It was a lone mountain range northeast of Costa Del Sol.

Cassandra stretched before she sat down taking a note from Marlene's book about not wanting to get cramps. She was in the worst shape of the whole group but that was because she hadn't been brought up to be a warrior. She had been told that she would marry someone when she was old enough and that would be the end of it. She hadn't wanted that and so when she left she decided that if she was going to marry it was going to be for love not because her father told her to marry someone.

"Hey Cloud what are we looking for here in these mountains," Marlene asked wanting to know.

"I don't know. I will know it when we see it though," Cloud replied absentmindedly. He was thinking about something else. He was starting to wonder about this man that was after him and what his motivation could possibly be. Cloud really wanted to know and decided that he would have to ask the man if he ever saw him.

"What do you mean you will know," Cassandra asked puzzled. She hadn't been with them enough to know that sometimes Cloud wouldn't elaborate and this was one of those times. 

"I will just know that's all I know," Cloud said as he looked at her. She was going to be a good swordsman when she learned how to use that blade on her back. The problem was Cloud had only had a few hours to show her anything but she was a fast learner which was good. He didn't have to repeat things to many times and she had it down.

They rested there for more than an hour and then Cloud stood up and said, "It is time that we headed out." The others took his lead and stood up as well but as they were getting ready to start back up the mountain a man came running down the mountain as fast as his legs would carry him.

He wasn't a old man but he wasn't young either Cloud noted. The man had a beard that was black but with silver streaks in it. His hair was long and black but more like some bird's nest than actual hair. His cloths were dirty from running on the mountain and the man's feet were uncovered and Cloud noted that he left bloody footprints on the ground. As he came running up to them Cloud noted that his eyes held fear in them and he kept looking back over his shoulder as if to make sure that he wasn't followed. 

"H . . . help me pl. . . please," the man stammered as he stopped in front of Cloud and tired to catch his breath.

"What is the problem sir," Cloud asked trying to be polite which was rare for him. 

"It . . .it is my small village. It is being attacked. By monsters that I have never seen before. They are killing everyone," the man said hurriedly. He looked over his shoulder again and Cloud didn't see anything.

"You will be fine. Tell me what these monsters look like," Cloud said as the rest of the group gathered around. They were nervous and it wasn't because of the man. Tifa had decided that it just didn't feel right and Yuffie had the same feeling. They had decided that it was the warriors instinct that was warning them.

"They look like that!" the man screamed as he pointed in the air behind Cloud.

Cloud whipped around and unsheathed his sword in one smooth motion. What he saw made his blood chill. He saw a creature that was nothing that he had ever seen before. The thing had the body of a monkey but in place of the tail was a barbed stinger. The head of the creature was more like that of a lion than anything else with razor sharp teeth that glistened with saliva. The wings were huge and were leathery like the wings of a bat and the thing had claws that were at least as long as a good kitchen knife. The thing screamed and dove down at Cloud. 


	8. Unexpected Tidings

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy or it's characters

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy or it's characters.

Author's note: I would appreciate some reviews so that I know if I should keep writing this story or not.

Hate's Fire

Cloud ducked under as the creature came swooping down at him. He didn't duck fast enough though and he felt pain lance through his back. The creature flew on by and Cloud felt his back. His hand came away red with his own blood. He looked up at the creature and saw that it was turning around slowly. The creature had no maneuverability in the air due to how it's body was. The thing couldn't make tight turns which was to the advantage of Cloud and his friends. 

Cloud hefted his sword but he moved slowly and his sword seemed heavier than it should have. He used to be able to wield it with such ease. That was when he knew what the problem was. He had been poisoned and he didn't have his materia with him to cure that. The creature was turned now and it started to dive again and as Cloud watched he saw two throwing stars sprout from it's chest. The creature reversed it's wing beating in order to slow itself. It screeched down at Cloud and just hovered in the air out of reach of everyone except Yuffie who smiled.

"Foolish creature," she said still smiling as she twisted the armband on her hand and found the materia that she was looking for. She chuckled as she cast Fire at the creature and it tumbled from the sky on fire. The creature was screaming in pain and then it crashed to the ground. As Yuffie and Tifa started to close in on the severely wounded creature Cloud spoke up.

"Don't. Let Cassandra and Marlene finish it. It is not human and so they should not have to hesitate too much in order to finish it. If they are going to travel with us then they should learn to do their part," Cloud said his voice heavy as if he was tired. Tifa looked over to him in concern and saw that he was leaning on his sword which was stuck in the ground in front of him.

The creature was laying on it's side and no one was moving towards it at all. They were too scared for Cloud who they had never seen like that. The creature tired to stand and fell back to the ground for it's legs were nothing but charred bits of bone. It's wings were no longer there and so there was no way that it could fly off. 

"Cloud what is wrong," Marlene asked nervously. His face was really pale and he was sweating she noticed. While he was sweating though he was shivering. He took a step toward them and then collapsed to the ground. 

His friends rushed to his side the man and the creature forgotten at least for the moment. Tifa took Cloud's head in her arms and held him close while Marlene held his hand and Cassandra retrieved his sword and sat it down next to him. Yuffie was rifling through her materia stash looking for her materia that would cure Cloud.

Cloud looked up at Marlen and said in response to her question, "I am poisoned and I have never encountered this poison before. It is going to kill me I think and there is nothing that I can do about it." Cloud coughed then and Tifa held him all the closer. 

"Hurry up please Yuffie," Tifa begged as Yuffie was still digging in her bag. She was tossing different materia aside and there was a small pile of them laying around her. "Hang on Cloud," Tifa said softlyas she pushed a strand of hair out of his face that was plastered there by the sweat.

Marlene let go of Cloud's hand and cast cure on him and the cuts that the creature had given him healed but Cloud was still shaking and harder this time. "Found it!" Yuffie exclaimed as she held up a materia. She quickly cast antidote on Cloud but it didn't seem to help. She cast it a second time and then a third. After the third they just stood there waiting for Cloud to come back to them.

That was when they heard a voice behind them that was near laughing it was so full of humor, "Don't worry there is no materia or no plant that I can think of that will save him."

They turned to the voice and saw that the creature was still burning but at least it was dead now. The man was standing there that had come running up to them. He was smiling and laughing at them. He pointed at them and said still laughing, "You are the ones that killed my father that is rich!"

"Who are you," Tifa demanded her voice tight with suppressed fury but her eyes betrayed everything. They were on fire with her anger and her fists were shaking slightly. 

The man continued to laugh as he changed before their eyes. His beard disappeared and in it's place was a clean shaven face. His hair grew long and straight and changed from black to silver. The man's cloth's changed from something that looked like beggar's cloths into the leather's of a man who was a soldier. They were good fitting on him and were black and red with a silver sword on his breast. The man had shoes on now and they were boots that could be used as weapons if the need arose due to the razors along the inside of the sole. His eyes were the most striking shade of blue and they nearly glowed. Slung across his back was a sword that was much like the sword that was used by sephiroth and yet it was different. It didn't matter though because the man smiled at them then. 

"Well what do you think," the man said smiling at them.

"I don't know who you are but there is a antidote to that poison and you had better give it to us," Tifa said as her voice started to rise. She was almost yelling at the man now.

"Now now don't be like that Tifa," The man said as he turned and looked at Yuffie. "I must say that you are beautiful and I think that your daughter takes after you. You think that she would like me as a boyfriend." The man smiled at Yuffie then that showed his teeth and he winked at her.

"You stay away from my daughter you monster," Yuffie screamed at him as she started forward.

"Stay where you are woman if you want them to stay safe," The man's voice became serious. Yuffie stopped in her tracks because she wouldn't do anything that would endanger her children. 

"They are fine woman but I should kill them because you broke the deal. I said that only Cloud was to come but you all had to come to. It doesn't bother me because I was going to get you all anyway. After all I already have Cid and Barret. Red is mine as well so there really is no one else that I need. The rest of you will come to me," he said as his smile came back.

"W . . . Why don't you te . . .tell us who you a . . . are huh, " Cloud said from where he was laying on the ground. He gripped the hilt of his sword and attempted to rise but he fell back to the ground before he got higher than his knees.

"Ha ha ha ha the great Cloud Strife is no more than a child now. I should kill you where you lay but I have better plans for you as well as the rest of you. Keep coming to save your children. I don't know how long I can restrain myself from killing them. Of course the first one to die will be the boy unless he decides to come over to my fold," the man said.

"He would never do that I if you harm my son I will kill you," Yuffie said quietly and that made her words have all the more effect of being menacing. 

"This is boring me but if you want I shall tell you who I am. I am known as Soren. I am the son of a man that you murdered. I am the son of Sephiroth and I will kill you all in time just like my father started to do with that bitch Aeris," Soren said scornfully to them.

"Well it seems that you are just like your father from what I hear," Marlene said bravely though she felt like finding a corner and hiding. It this was Sephiroth's son then he would be very dangerous and her meager skills wouldn't make much difference. 

"Shut up girl. I will say what I want and if you ever speak of my father that way again then I will kill you where you stand," Soren spat at her as his eyes glowed brighter thanks to his anger.

"You touch her and I . . . I will kill you," Cloud said as he stood up slowly. He had been trying ever since he had called Aeris a bitch. That had made him angry which was a bad thing since that made his blood move faster and it pumped the poison through his veins even faster. 

"How do you stand. You should be dead by now Hojo said so," Soren said in astonishment.

"So Hojo gave you one of his pets. Well you must have convinced him that you would kill me huh Soren," Cloud growled as he took a hesistant step forward. His legs wobbled but he kept on his feet.

"I am tired of this but believe me we will all meet again I am sure," Soren said as he turned and ran off up the mountain. Over his shoulder he yelled, "Our destiny will come to a head Cloud. We will meet and battle and after I have killed you I shall have my way with the women and kill them as well." The man's voice echoed off the mountains and rebounded back to Cloud more times than he cared to count. 

Cloud fell face first to the hard ground. He hit his head and opened a gash on his forehead which he didn't even feel because he was already unconscious. "What do we do," Cassandra asked fearfully.

"We take him with us and try to find him something that will cure that poison," Tifa said as she took over the leader role.

Tifa reached down and picked cloud up and put one of his arms over her shoulder while Yuffie moved to Cloud's other side and took his other arm so that Tifa and her could share Cloud's weight between them.

"Lead the way girls," Tifa said as she gestured with her right hand for them to take point. As Cassandra took up the lead Marlene ran over and picked up Cloud's sword and took his sheath off his back with the help of Tifa. She slung the sheath over her back and put the sword in it. She then ran and caught up with Cassandra.

"I don't want to be point Marlene. What if something should attack us. I don't know how to fight that well and I don't know about you. I don't want to die but I don't want Cloud to die either. I want to help him," Cassandra said quietly for only her and Marlene's ears. 

"I don't think that we will have to worry about fighting Cassandra. I feel that everything that was hostile here is dead or ran off thanks to that Soren guy. As for not wanting to die that is something that everyone thinks. No one wants to die but we all have to. I don't want to die either but I would rather live than think about dying. Lastly Cloud will not die he is too tough. There is nothing that will kill him I think except old age," Marlene said trying to lighten Cassandra's worries. 

Marlene and Cassandra led the way up the mountain until it was too dark to continue. By the time they called a halt Yuffie and Tifa were so tired that they fell right asleep next to Cloud where they laid him down on some flat rocks. It was one of the only flat areas on the mountain. 

Marlene looked across at Cassandra while the fire crackled between them. Cassandra had started the fire after Marlene had found the wood. It made the mountain air passable warm so that they wouldn't freeze during the night. Marlene wondered about Cassandra. The girl knew things that she shouldn't have known like which way they were supposed to go but of course Marlene had felt that same pull.

"How long do you suppose it will take us to make it to where we are going," Marlene asked just for something to say.

"I don't know. I just know that it feels right to go this way. I can't say why either," Cassandra answered.

"Well I hope it don't take too long because Tifa and Yuffie won't be able to take too many more days like the one that we just had where they would have to carry Cloud," Marlene said quietly.

"I agree but I think that we should get some sleep as well," Cassandra said as she rolled over and fell asleep almost as fast which left Marlene alone in the night with nothing but the fire for company.

Marlene reached up and felt the hilt of Cloud's sword a weapon that was more of a part of Cloud than anything else. She felt bad for carrying it instead of him but it would have just added more weight to Cloud which wouldn't have helped her friends at all. As she rubbed the hilt of the sword she whispered, "Please live Cloud. I have never got to know you and yet you were a friend a fathers."

Marlene wished that Cloud had stayed around but she knew that he had left for his own reasons. She didn't judge him like the others had but they had judged him from anger and nothing more. It had hurt him she knew and he had held the hurt well though she didn't know if he would ever look on his friends the same way again.

She unsheathed the sword and laid it down on the ground next to her and fell asleep cradling the sword like a child would it's most treasured toy or blanket. She didn't notice that there was a man who was watching them that whole night. She didn't notice him or anything else she was so tired.

*****

The first person to awake was Tifa who stood up and stretched to get the kinks out of her back from sleeping on the hard ground. She was stiff all over but she knew that it was going to be worse after today. As she looked around she saw that Marlene was sleeping with Cloud's sword held to her breast like she had used to sleep with one of her favorite toys. 

Tifa wondered why that was but she didn't think it would be good if the others awoke to see that she didn't know why but she just had a feeling. She walked over to Marlene and shook her by the arm gently. Marlene awoke fast and looked around and when she saw that there was nothing amiss she looked at Tifa and smiled sleepily.

"What is it Tifa," she asked as she yawned. 

"I just though that I should wake you. We need to get started early today," Tifa said as she stood up and went over to the fire and stoked it trying to get a flame to start as she sat some more wood on it.

"That was not why you woke me up," Marlene said matter of factly as she sat up.

"You are right. I was wondering why you were sleeping with Cloud's sword held so close to your breast," Tifa asked and raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know. Well I guess I do know but well it is just that with his sword I feel so much more secure and safe. I don't know why but I do. Yet when I hold his sword I also feel nothing but fear because I don't ever remember Cloud going anywhere without his sword when I was a child. I remember that this blade was always strapped to his back and he never let anyone else touch it and yet here I am holding it and it makes me wonder if he will be alright," Marlene said trying to make sense of her feelings to Tifa.

"I understand you perfectly Marlene. I feel frightened too because I don't know if Cloud will live or not. I have never encountered this poison before and I don't know how to cure it or anything else. I have never seen Cloud like this except one other time and I saved him that time but I don't think that I can here," Tifa said as she sat down and put her face in her hands.

"Don't worry Tifa we will save him," Yuffie spoke up from where she was still laying down next to Cloud.

"I hope so Yuffie I really do," Tifa said as a sob shook her shoulders.

"I'm not dead yet," they heard Cloud whisper to them. 

"No you are not are you. So let's get going shall we," Tifa said a bit more heartily as she went over and woke up Cassandra. Once she was awake and everyone had had their breakfast of hard meats and cheese they started off with Cassandra and Marlene in the front again.

For most of the day they traveled though they took breaks on a regular basis so that Tifa and Yuffie could rest. It was at one of those breaks that Cloud said, "Just leave me. I will die whether I am with you or not. Just leave me here and go on. If you get to the city then you can come back for me if you find the antidote," Cloud choked out through teeth that were chattering so hard he thought that they might break. He was hating this damn poison because it attacked everything within the body. 

"We won't leave you Cloud," Tifa said vehemently.

"Just do it you know that it is the logical choice," Cloud whispered for that was all the louder he could speak.

"We won't do it," Tifa nearly yelled into his face and then she seemed to regret that but Cloud knew that no matter what she wasn't going to leave him.

Cloud decided that he should do something else then and so he said "Marlene if anything should happen to me I want you to have my sword. Keep it or sell it whatever you want but if I die then there is no need of it by me anymore."

"Don't talk like that Cloud you are going to be just fine," Marlene said and Cloud could have laughed at them all. They didn't realize that he was dying or if they did they were deluding themselves into believing that he would be fine but Cloud was a realist at least at this time. He knew that his death wasn't that far off.

"Fine let's get going," He said trying to sound strong for them but when your voice was only a whisper it was pretty hard. The group headed off up the mountain again with Cloud being carried. He knew that they were all scared but there was nothing that he could do to ease their fears especially since he knew that he was the source of them.

Yuffie was all but in tears for most of the day and tears would slide down her cheeks whenever she would look at Cloud. Tifa was much the same but Marlene seemed to be taking it pretty hard and yet she hadn't known him that well. He saw that from time to time her shoulders would shake with sobbing but she never turned to look at him. Then there was Cassandra and he didn't know what she was about or how she was feeling but whenever she would look back it would be written on her face. Her face was lined with worry and she tried to hide her sorrow but she couldn't at least not from Cloud.

It took them more than six days to climb the mountain and then down it again. In all that time nothing happened to them. They were never attacked which surprised them and other things happened as well. It was as if there was a trail going down the mountain which made it easier but no one lived in the mountains and the trail should not have been there.

They made it to the bottom of the mountain at the end of the sixth day. Once there they made camp and gathered up enough wood for a couple of days. They figured that they would need to stay there for a little while to regain their strength and other such things like trying to find game so that they had food.

As they were laying down for their rest Cloud heard something and rolled over which took more effort than he could have believed and said to Tifa, "Someone comes."

She was on alert instantly scanning the surrounding territory. She saw nothing but she went and told the rest to keep an eye out because she was sure that something was out there Cloud had said so. 

"How do you know that it wasn't the fever talking Tifa," Marlene asked. She knew about fevers because she had treated them back in Costa Del Sol. She hated to admit it but she was starting to miss the place with the children playing and the warmth of the air not to mention the ocean there as well. She missed the water and the way the sun shimmered off the water as it came up.

"I know that it is not the fever talking because Cloud would never lie about something that could cost us our lives," Tifa said though she wasn't entirely sure that Marlene wasn't right. It could very well be the fever though she hoped that it wasn't.

At that time a man stepped our from behind some rather large boulders and walked right into their camp without a care in the world. He walked right up to the fire and sat down next to it and held his hands out to it in order to warm them. The women looked at each other and wondered who this man was who was so bold. 

The man was very old with a long white beard that came nearly to his knees. He wore a old hat on his head that was the color of the rocks around them and his cloths were old and yet still in good shape. He had a knife at his side and a was holding a walking cane. When he walked he stooped over a bit and yet he moved with good speed for one so old. His eyes were a green that was bright with intelligence. He had a smile that showed that he still had all his teeth and his knees cracked as he sat down on a rock near their fire.

The women came near the fire and all sat down around it and Tifa said a bit weary for she didn't know if this was that Soren character again or not, "Who are you if you don't mind us asking."

"Ah lassie you can ask and I shall tell you. I am known as old Ged around here but no one down out of these here mountains knows me at all," the man named Ged said as he looked around at them.

"Is there something that you are looking for sir," Marlene asked.

"Yes and I have found what I am looking for young girl. I was looking for all of you," he said with a smile.

"For us," Cassandra sounded surprised.

"Didn't I just say that. Are you deaf or just a person who likes to repeat things like small children would," He snapped at her just like any old man would have. "I needed to find the heroes in order to help them."

"We are no heroes," Yuffie said with a shrug.

"Not now no but you were once and so was your companion sitting next to you. You also travel with two heroes in the making but lord help us if that is what heroes are becoming foolish people who can't listen," the man said glaring at Cassandra.

"We were only heroes by the words of others," Tifa said a bit uncomfortable.

"Bah you are heroes whether you want to admit it or not. Now you may have the chance to be heroes again it would seem to me for I know things. But where is the man who travels with you," Ged said as he looked around.

"He is sleeping because he has been poisoned with something that we have no clue how to counteract. Our materia doesn't work and neither do any plants we don't know what to do," Tifa said as a tear slid down her cheek and the others nodded their heads in agreement.

"A poison huh well let me see him I may know something," the man said as he lumbered to his feet slowly with his knees cracking louder than the fire.

They shoed him to where they had Cloud laid down with a blanket over him to try and keep him warm though he was sweating. The man looked at Cloud and knelt down next to him. He felt his head and lifted his eyelids. He felt his chest and mumbled a few words over Cloud's body. After about five minutes the man stood back up and looked at them. 

"We need to get back to my town understand. It is not far so let's go pick him up hurry hurry," the man said as he gestured for them to pick Cloud up.

Tifa and Yuffie did as they were told and picked Cloud back up and started to follow the old man. The man led with Cassandra and Marlene right next to him and the other two in tow with Cloud between them. "I'm sorry Aeris I failed. I couldn't save you," Cloud mumbled and Tifa looked down at him and felt sorry for him. She knew that he still punished himself for not being able to save Aeris.

It took them only three more hours to find the city because the man led them through a mountain instead of over it like they had been doing of course they hadn't known that there were tunnels under the mountains.

When they emerged from the tunnel it was to find a city sprawled out in front of them though some of the place was in ruins. The man led them right down to the city and through the city. They looked around and saw that many of the buildings no longer had people living in them and yet they were still in good shape. They saw that the entire city was lit by little glowing balls of light that followed them around to light their way. "Driftlights," Ged said by way of explanation as if that should explain something to them. They had never seen any lights do that before unless they were on a helicopter that was after them.

Some people greeted them as they walked by and others wouldn't even look at them because they feared them or for some other reason Tifa wasn't sure. She wasn't sure where the place was but she was glad that it was there and she hoped that they could help Cloud.

They were led to a building in the very center of the city that was huge. It was three stories high and made completely from white marble. How they had done it was beyond her because she didn't see any machines there but the place was beautiful. On the roof of the building there were statues of gargoyles and other such beasts that were straight from myth. The windows were made of painted glass and the walls on the outside had carvings carved into them of different things.

Ged led them into the building and through winding corridors. He led them deep into the place and Tifa could have swore that the place wasn't that big form the outside but on the continued and her arms were getting tired as was the rest of her. Finally they came to a room where Ged said to put Cloud down on the bed that was in the room.

The room was large and had paintings hanging on the walls along with banners that held crests of countries that Tifa had never even heard of before. On one wall there was a sword and shield but they were both so rusted that they couldn't have been used for weapons. There was a bed in the room that was huge at least three people could sleep on it comfortably. That was where they put Cloud and then the man walked over to a wall that was covered in books and he started to look for one in particular.

Tifa was impressed by the room and it's furnishings but she was also nervous because she didn't know these people or anything else. At that time a woman walked in and moved over to the man. "Take care of the man on the bed granddaughter," he told her and she bowed her head. She went over to Cloud and knelt down next to him and felt his head. She frowned and left the room but came back later with a wash basin filled with cool water and a cloth rag.

She sat down next to Cloud then and placed the wet rag on his forehead and Cloud moaned but didn't do anything else. Ged grabbed a book as he yelled, "Aha!" He took the book over and sat down at one of the many tables that decorated the room and started leafing through the pages. 

Tifa walked over to the girl who was tending Cloud and she looked very nervous. "What is it if I may ask," she said to the girl politely because they were helping them out.

"Nothing it is nothing," the girl said but Tifa knew better. 

"Tifa I am sorry," Cloud whispered hoarsely but Tifa had no idea what he would be sorry about. She took his hand and sat down next to the girl. 

"How long does he have," Tifa asked because she knew that the girl at least had an idea. 

"It will only be another two or three days. If this is the poison I think it is he should have been dead days ago. He is strong and he is fighting it with everything that he has but he will lose," The girl said quietly for Tifa alone.

"Cloud won't lose this fight he hasn't ever lost one that mattered and this one matters," Tifa said stubbornly.

"This is Cloud," the girl asked shocked.

"Yes why," Tifa said.

"Because he is the one that saved the world right with his friends. I never thought that I would actually get to meet him. I was just a little girl when it happened," she said as her eyes glittered.

"Well you have met him and I hope that you get to talk to him. My name is Tifa, that woman is Yuffie, Marlene, and Cassandra," Tifa said as she gestured to each of her companions. The girl inclined her head to each of them and couldn't believe that she was in the presence of three of the heroes. It was almost too much for her but she remembered her manners.

"My name is Crystal," she said and Tifa nodded her head smiling. Tifa didn't feel like smiling but she felt that she should to keep her spirits up as well as everyone else's.

"Found it," the man yelled.

"What did you find old man," Yuffie said impatient. She didn't want to sound like that but she was nervous about Cloud and everything else. She was scared for her children and it was starting to get to her. Yuffie could tell that it was getting to everyone as well.

"I have found the cure. You need to travel to a cave not far from here. Inside there you shall find what is known as the golden fountain. When you find it you will need to take a full bottle of the water and then mix your blood in the water as well as some of Cloud's. If you don't do it as soon as you withdraw the water though it will not work because it needs time to set and fuse do you understand," the man said as his eyes bored into each of them.

They all nodded their heads and Tifa said, "How do we carry Cloud's blood. I don't want to take too much."

"Tifa use your canteen. Cut me on my forearm deeply and my blood should run down my arm and into your canteen," Cloud said but his voice was so low now that they almost didn't hear him.

"I won't do it," Tifa said but she knew that she would and so she pulled out her canteen and dumped the water out. She walked over to Cloud and sat him up in the bed and asked, "Please hold him upright."

The girl nodded her head and held Cloud while Tifa cut his arm like he had indicated. The blood ran down his arm and into the canteen and when the canteen had about a half inch in the bottom she stoppered it and healed Cloud.

"How is this supposed to work," Marlene asked.

The old man looked at her and nodded his head that he would answer. "The water is golden and it will cure most poisons. It is an ancient fountain and was created with magic when a man sacrificed himself to create it so that his love would not die of a dreadful poison that was afflicting her. But enough of the history you wanted to know how it worked. As I said it will cure most any poison by itself but the person that it will be curing has to give blood to the water so that it has time to adapt to the poison. Once it knows what it is then it can cure it," the man said.

"But why do we need to use our blood," Marlene asked though she was give up pints of her blood if it would help Cloud.

"Your blood comes in because it will cure any poison if it is mixed with the man's blood and the blood of those that he loves and that love him. It doesn't need to be anymore of a love than as a brother to a sister but the love must be there because it was for love that the fountain was created. Your blood with strengthen the golden water so that it is that much more potent," Ged said and nodded his head as if that was all there was to it.

"Well I say that we should get going but first we should supply up," Tifa said taking over command. 

"All right," Yuffie said.

"You can stock up here. Everything that you will need is free of charge I will see to that for you. You just sleep for the night and head out in the morning. Cloud is alive he will still be alive in the morning and for all of tomorrow. He should stay alive for at least three days I would think which is plenty of time for you," Ged said.

"All right we will sleep and head out at first light," Tifa said as the man showed them to where they could stay. Once they made it to their room they all fell asleep rather fast but that was because the man had cast Sleep on them because he knew that they were going to need all their strength on the morrow for what they would have to face.


	9. Promise Kept

Disclaimer: I Don't own the Final Fantasy characters or the world.

A Promise Kept

Tifa and her companions headed out in the morning as they had said they would. Tifa was in the lead and she had been nominated to be the leader of their little expedition. They traveled through the mountains picking their way carefully over boulders and loose skree. The last thing that they wanted to do now was fall to their deaths.

Tifa looked over her shoulder many times hoping that Cloud would be alright and knowing that if they failed he would die. Tifa didn't want that to happen. She still loved him but as time went by she started to wonder if it was the love for a brother or for something more.

Tifa wanted to believe that she loved him as more than a brother but she was truly starting to doubt her love. It was more like he was protective of her and she in turn was protective of him. She shrugged her shoulders mentally as she reached up and pulled herself up onto a outcropping of rock. Only time would tell she figured and it didn't do her any good to worry about it.

Tifa reached down and pulled Yuffie up next and together they pulled up Cassandra and Marlene. As Marlene was pulled up they turned as one and saw the cave. Instantly they knew that was where they had to go. It had taken them a little over half a day to get there.

"Ok we are here so who has the light," Yuffie said as she started forward. As she stepped into the cave it lit up. She stepped back hurriedly and the cave dimmed to darkness again. 

"Well ain't that just nice," Tifa said smiling at Yuffie who looked a bit nervous.

"Nice yeah right," Yuffie said as she glared at Tifa. Marlene was just trying not to laugh.

"Don't even think it little girl," Yuffie growled at Marlene as she saw Marlene with her hand over her mouth trying to stifle a laugh.

"Oh come on Yuffie if you had seen the look on your face you would have laughed too," Marlene said trying to sound sincere.

"Let's just get going," Tifa said ruefully.

The group of women headed into the cavern and once again it lit up to light their way. After they were into the cave about fifty feet the back of them darkened and the only light was ahead of them almost as if it was leading them to their destination.

Tifa took the lead then and she headed down the tunnel. They came to a place in the tunnel where it was slit into two directions and a third tunnel lead into it from their left. "Well which way," Tifa said as she turned back to her friends.

Just then they heard a noise coming towards them from the left tunnel. They all turned to the sound and each prepared themselves for battle. The first thing they saw was a bright flash of light. Then as their eyes cleared and the spots quit dancing in front of their eyes they saw two creatures standing there that none of them had ever seen before. 

They were humanoid standing just under six foot tall. They had grey skin with muscles that rippled as they moved forward. They had razor sharp teeth that protruded slightly from their mouths along with a long lizard tongue. They lifted their hands and they had long claws where their fingernails should have been.

"What are those," Cassandra cried out nervously. She had been in a couple of fights before but not one without Cloud and she knew that she was going to have to start pulling her own weight.

"I don't know but I feel that we are about to get acquainted real quick," Yuffie said as she pulled out a couple of her throwing stars.

"Well let's get this over with. Cloud needs the antidote," Tifa said as she pulled her razor's glove on tighter. She looked at the three blades protruding from the back of the glove and winced at the metal they were made of. She had asked the man to make her a better pair of gloves though and he said that he would. These would just have to do until then.

"You are right Tifa," Marlene said as she took her own fighting stance next to Tifa. They would together and so would Cassandra and Yuffie. The creatures charged then and let out a piercing wail one that hurt everyone's ears.

*****

_Cloud was laying on the stone outcropping where he was used to meeting Aeris. Once again she came to him only this time he was so weak he couldn't move to stand up. "Oh Cloud," she said as a tear slid down her cheek._

"Don't cry," Cloud croaked out through his parched throat.

He turned his head then and looked out across the water as he felt a tremor go through his spirit body. "You can feel it can't you," Aeris said then as she sat down next to him and her face was dry.

"I felt something," he whispered which was all he could get out.

"You felt the danger that Tifa and the others are in. You realize Cloud that unless you go to them they will die. There is no way around it. They will fight a creature that none of them can beat because none of them have what it takes," Aeris said quietly and sadly.

"And what is that," Cloud asked.

"No fear of death. You Cloud don't fear death. In fact you look forward to it even though you think that you want to live," Aeris said as sad as she had ever been. 

Cloud looked at her then and forced himself up to a sitting position. He looked into her eyes and nearly shrank back from the hurt he saw there. "I'm sorry Aeris but I know that I am looking forward to the day that I die. You see that way I can be with you then."

"Oh but Cloud you have much to live for. And think of everyone who would be sad to see you die. You have too many friends to want to die at such a young age," Aeris said as she threw her arms around him.

Cloud fell back onto the stone for his strength was nearly spent. He held her close though and said, "Aeris just tell me what I have to do."

"You must go and aid them Cloud. The creature that they will fight feeds off of fear. Cassandra and Marlene will be terrified and so it will be nearly unstoppable if they fight it. Yuffie will be frightened because she will be scared that she will die and not see her children again. Tifa will be afraid that she will fail you," Aeris said as she stood up.

"Now go Cloud," she said as she started to walk away.

"Farewell Aeris. I will survive like I always have," Cloud said as he started to fade away.

*****

Tifa leapt back as the claws raked the air where she had been just seconds before. She looked over and saw that Marlene was sneaking up behind the creature. Tifa sidestepped another slash at her and punched up with her left hand glove. The claws tore into the flesh of the beast and as it screamed Marlene charged in and punched the creature in the lower back.

The beast bit down at Tifa who couldn't move fast enough and the teeth tore into her shoulder. As she screamed in pain she punched up with her other hand and the claws on that glove tore into the back of the creature's head. As it slumped forward dying Marlene grabbed it by the head and twisted savagely killing the beast instantly.

Tifa cast cure on herself and looked over to where Cassandra and Yuffie had the other dead. There were many stars protruding from the beast which said that it was mostly dead before it even neared Cassandra who finished it with a cut to the throat like she had seen Cloud use before.

"Well we got them so let's get going," Tifa said as she turned and headed down the passage that the creatures had come from. 

"Why are we heading this way," Cassandra asked having no clue why they would be heading down the tunnel where the creatures had come from.

"We are going this way because they are probably the guardians of this fountain that we need," Yuffie said answering for Tifa.

"And you think that this will lead to the fountain," Cassandra reasoned. She couldn't believe that she had killed that beast. It had nearly gotten her but she had managed to get her blade in front of it's mouth which made it move it's head to the side. She had then just thrust forward with the blade and it had caught the creature along the neck killing it. She hadn't even attempted to kill it she had just been trying to stay alive.

They walked down the tunnel and noticed that there was nothing along the walls which were perfectly formed. There was no dust on the floor and nothing on the ceiling. It was starting to make Tifa wonder what the deal was when she stepped down on something that crushed under her weight.

*****

Cloud awoke and was reminded of just how he felt. His whole body was on fire from the poison coursing through his veins. He was shaking from the chills though and he was really not in a very good mood. He had just been told that he was going to have to save his friends because otherwise they would die. He didn't have any idea how he was going to do that when he couldn't hardly walk. 

He looked around and saw a woman sitting next to him. "How am I doing," he whispered.

She looked up and inhaled sharply. "You're awake," she exclaimed as she moved closer to him. "I thought that you would be unconscious from the poison until your friends brought back the antidote."

Cloud looked away from her then and took a deep breath. He knew that he had to help his friends and so he moved his legs and they fell off the bed. He put his weight on them as best he could while still laying down.

"What are you doing," the girl yelled at him as she tried to put his legs back on the bed. 

That only made Cloud mad. He knew that he had to get out of here. He sat up and shoved her away. "I am sorry but I have to go and help my friends. They will die if I don't," Cloud growled though his voice was no louder than a whisper. He stood there on wobbly legs and took a hesitant step. When he didn't collapse he took another and another.

"What are you talking about," said the girl Crystal, he thought her name was.

"I can't explain but I need to know how long ago it was that they left. Please tell me and please get me a sword. They forgot to leave mine," Cloud said as gently as he could when he fell against the wall. He pushed himself away from it and hated himself for his weakness.

"They left only about an hour ago. If you are going then I am going with you," the girl said savagely. She wouldn't let one of the world's hero's die because he was too stubborn to listen.

"Granddaughter go get the sword down from the loft. I need to speak to him," a man said.

"Yes grandfather," the girl said as she left the room but not without a last glance at Cloud to make sure that he was still there.

"You are certain that you want to do this," the man asked Cloud who just nodded his head.

"All I need is a sword and directions to the fountain that you were talking about," Cloud said as his body shivered and sweat fell off his hair.

"You will kill yourself you know if you continue with this course of action," the man said like a teacher lecturing a student.

"That may be but I promise I won't die without saving my friends. I need to do it so that they can continue the quest we had set out on," Cloud said.

"I think that you may just live with a will like that Cloud. You are one of a kind and there will never be another like you to walk this world I don't think," the man said as Crystal ran into the room with a sword in a scabbard.

"Here it is," she exclaimed glad to see that Cloud was still there.

"Thank you," Cloud said as he walked over on shaky legs to get the sword. He took it in his hands and it felt good to have a sword there. It just felt right. The sword was good with a nice edge to it. It wasn't too heavy nor to light but somewhere in the middle.

"Go with him Crystal and lead the way for him," the old man said.

"No I can't let her go. She will be put in danger and I won't allow that. Too many people get put into danger because of me and I won't allow it anymore," Cloud said fiercely.

"Fine Cloud we will respect your wishes," the old man said a bit too easily Cloud thought but he wasn't in the mood to think about it. He turned and walked from the room. He set himself in a state of mind where pain didn't reach him and neither did anything else. He didn't notice as he left the small town that a woman followed him. He didn't see her leave the house and follow along behind him much as if to see if he was going to be ok. He stumbled many times but he still made good time and all the while the poison pumped through his body at an accelerated rate bringing him closer to death with each minute that passed.

*****

"Grandfather how could you just concede like that when you know the condition that he is in," Crystal said as she whirled with fury blazing in her eyes to face her grandfather.

"I did it because he would never have agreed to let you go. Though if you follow him at a distance in the condition that he is in he will never know that you are there Crystal," her grandfather reasoned and she had to admit it made sense.

"Very well grandfather I will follow him then. I won't say that I will just follow him. If I feel that he needs my help in any way then I will help him," Crystal said with a hint of steel in her voice.

"I know, but you must realize that he is not accustomed to having help. He is used to being a loner and he doesn't know how to act when he can't do things for himself," he said gently.

"I understand. I will do what is necessary," she said.

"I know that you will granddaughter, I know that you will," her grandfather said as she started to walk away. 

*****

Tifa looked down to see what she had stepped on and nearly shuddered when she noticed that the ground was littered with bones. Bones of every type were scattered around where before there had been nothing. There were human remains as well as the remains of other creatures that she didn't know. 

"What is the deal here," Tifa said keeping her voice from shaking with the mounting fear that she felt. 

"I don't know," Yuffie said and she too was starting to feel uneasy.

"I think that it was a illusion or something that masked the bones until you stepped on one," Cassandra said but she didn't know how she could know such a thing.

"How do you know," Tifa asked as she frowned.

"I don't know but it is like the knowledge was just there in my head," Cassandra as she shook her head. "I just don't know."

"Well let's be on the look out alright people," Tifa said as she headed down the hall.

They traveled for over an hour moving slowly so as not to move into any traps and in all that time they never saw anything else that posed a threat to them. Up ahead of them in the cave there was a turn which had golden light spilling out into the hall that they were in at the moment. 

"Careful there may be someone up ahead," Tifa said as she pulled her gloves on tighter and moved forward slowly with the others in tow.

They rounded the corner and there were four indrawn breaths. For there in front of them was the object that they had come in search of. There before them was the fountain. The fountain that held the water that would cure Cloud so that they could continue on their journey.

The fountain was huge being more than seventy feet around the base. There were bricks that looked as if they had been made out of obsidian and were being held together with blood. The fountain had three tiers and the second one was made of white marble and the third was made from pink limestone. The second tier was also in the shape of a large creature that resembled a phoenix with it's head tilted back in order to hold up the third tier which was in the shape of a man weeping. The water came from his eyes and ran down the sides of the fountain. Where the water touched the stone changed colors to that of gold. There was also a golden light emanating from the ceiling of the cave. They didn't know where the light came from but it was there nontheless.

Tifa looked around and saw that there was nothing there and so she went forward slowly and as she moved she unstoppered her canteen that held Cloud's blood. She stopped next to the fountain and looked back to her friends. "Well it seems that we have made it huh. I guess this was easier than we had thought."

"It seems that way doesn't it," Yuffie said as she stretched like she used to. It was reflex and it loosened her muscles.

"Is that such a bad thing," Marlene asked with a smile. She was really glad that she had come with her friends on this mission.

"Of course not but it just feels wrong somehow. Nothing is easy when it comes to something that you need," Tifa said.

"Well I say we just get the water and get out of here. This place gives me the creeps," Cassandra said as she hugged herself as if to keep herself warm from a cold that only she could feel.

"Ok," Tifa said as she raised her eyes skyward as if to ask why she had to deal with certain people though it was more in jest than anything else.

Tifa lowered the canteen to the water and just as she was about to fill it with water a clawed hand snaked out of the shadows at the base of the fountain and slashed her across the hand making her drop the canteen to the floor where the blood, Cloud's blood, spilled out onto the floor.

"Nooo damnit. Damnit anyway. How are we supposed to help Cloud now," Tifa yelled as she clutched her hand and moved back to stand with the rest of the group. 

"I would say that we have to kill that thing and hope that there is still some of his blood in the canteen," Yuffie said though her voice shook with fear as the thing came into view.

It was a creature our of a nightmare. It stood seven feet tall and was completely black as if it had been made from shadow, or it's mother was shadow. It had blood red eyes that seemed to suck a person's hopes away as it gazed at you. Those eyes inspired fear and hopelessness and indeed they all felt it. It had arms that were longer than a human's should be and it's hands were long and thin. Those hands ended in claws that were hooked so that they could tear flesh much easier and leave a person in the most severe agony. The creature had muscular legs that looked as if they could propel the creature forward at great speeds in short bursts. They also saw that it had claws at the end of it's toes and those claws were tinted red as if permanently stained with the blood of it's victims. As they looked closer it's claws on it's hands were the same way. The creature had teeth that were easily four inches long which meant that they were long enough to kill a person if it bit them. What was worse though was that it's teeth dripped a venom that hissed as it hit the ground and it had a long forked tongue that it used to taste the air in case of blindness.

They were almost frozen with utter terror at the sight of the thing and the wail it made. The wail sounded as if it held more pain and suffering than anything had a right to endure. It slowly moved it's head from side to side like a snake as it moved forward. It growled lightly as it's eyes moved this way and that.

"We have to fight this thing in order to get the canteen," Tifa said in a voice much calmer than she felt. She had fully expected her voice to shake she was so scared of the thing which started to make her wonder. She had never been this afraid of anything in her life. She hated the feeling and she knew that the creature itself was radiating something that was making her that way.

"I know," Yuffie said thinking that is she said anymore her voice would tremble. The other two didn't say a word as they fanned out and got ready for battle.

Yuffie threw a throwing star at it and it hit the creature in the head which should have killed it but the wound just healed after the creature pulled the weapon from it's head. "Th . . .That's not good," Yuffie stammered.

At that time Cassandra hit the ground holding her arms around her head as if to protect herself from something. "Don't hurt me anymore please," she pleaded as her eyes were full of fear.

Marlene couldn't move she was so terrified of the thing. She knew that she should be fighting it but she just couldn't move. She had never been so scared in her life and she wondered where the fear was coming from. She took a slow step forward finally and swung her fist at the creature who took the blow on the chin and didn't even flinch. She was backhanded across the room then by the creature.

Yuffie and Tifa were the last two. Tifa charged and hit the creature in every vital area that she could reach and the thing didn't even move. Tifa was terrified now because the thing just wouldn't even be hurt. Everything that they threw at it didn't hurt it. That and the creature was just enough to evoke fear in anyone. It was as if when they saw it all the fears that they had just came at them at once.

The creature clawed Tifa across the shoulder as she was thinking and she fell to the ground trembling in utter terror of the thing. She was seeing again and again her loved ones being killed before her very eyes. She was trembling with the fear of seeing this and not being able to help them while knowing that she was to be next in line for the torture and eventual death.

Yuffie ran in to pull Tifa back when the creature loomed above her. "Your lives are at an end. Your fear is so tassssty," the creature hissed at Yuffie. Yuffie didn't know what to do. She couldn't hurt it and she was scared for her friends. She didn't want them to die and yet she knew that they were done for if she didn't come up with something in order to help them.

*****

"Damn why did they have to go in there," Cloud said as he stood at the bottom of the mountain and looked up at the entrance to the cave that he had been told his friends had went into. He was leaning heavily upon the borrowed sword and his breathing was ragged. He knew that he was near death now but he didn't really care. He had to save his friends, after that he could die he didn't care anymore.

Cloud started up the mountain slowly being careful to pick his way so that he didn't fall back down. "I am never going to make it in time." Cloud looked back up to the entrance and started up the slope again. Some loose rocks beneath his feet shifted and Cloud fell back and rolled down the mountain some fifty feet. He was cut in many places and he had hit his head upon a large rock but he slowly pulled himself to his feet.

"You should be more careful," Cloud heard a woman say and he turned around to see Crystal standing there. 

"Yeah and you need to learn to listen a little better," Cloud said sarcastically. 

"Perhaps but I will help you get up there whether you like it or not. I have something that will increase your strength if you want it," she said a bit shyly. She really didn't want to give it to him for fear it would kill him.

"Then give it to me and go home. IF that thing up there is as dangerous as I think then you will just be another person that I will have to protect," Cloud said.

"Just a second if you take this potion I must warn you. It increases your blood flow and other body functions. In other words the poison in your veins will move faster and your end will come all the quicker," Crystal said fearful.

"Just give it to me. Death is just another stage in life so don't worry about me," Cloud said as he took the potion from her and downed it in one quick swallow.

Immediately Cloud perked up and he felt stronger. He stretched since he hadn't been able to do that for a day or more. His muscles stretched and bunched when he flexed. "Alright let's go then if you won't stay behind," Cloud said feeling better. He felt almost as good as new.

Cloud turned and threw the sword into it's sheath. He wouldn't be needing it until he made up to the cave. He started to climb and he went fast. He had wasted time by being ill and he needed to make it up.

Crystal hung back a second or two and whispered, "I hope you were right about giving him that potion grandfather. I don't want to see him die." She too then started the climb to the cave. 

****

Yuffie looked up into the things eyes and saw herself reflected in their depths. She saw the fear on her face and felt the sweat roll down her face. The creature opened up it's mouth as if to bite down on her and she turned her head away. She didn't want to see the throat that she was about to be in. 

"Leave them alone creature. I am here to kill you," a man yelled at the top of his lungs.

Yuffie turned back and saw that the creature was looking the other way. She turned her head and peered around the creature. What she saw stunned her. Standing there in the entrance to this place was Cloud. Next to him was that girl Crystal. How could Cloud be here and how could he be standing? Yuffie had no idea but she was glad that he was there.

"Sssssso you are the one. The one who brings death with him yessssss?" the creature hissed.

"That's right. Let's get this done with shall we," Cloud said as he charged forward.

The creature swung it's claws for Cloud who rolled under it's reach and came to his feet behind it. "Get out of here Yuffie," Cloud yelled to her as he shoved her towards the wall that would lead her out.

"Cloud?" she asked still dumbfounded.

The creature turned and kicked out with it's clawed foot which Cloud just leaped back in time to avoid. He whipped his sword out of it's sheath and slashed at the leg of the creature before it had time to draw it back. The sword hit the leg at the ankle and the creature pulled it's leg back but the wound didn't heal Yuffie noticed.

"Ssssso you hold no fear inside you. That isss interessssting," the creature hissed angrily.

"The only fear I have is happening at the moment so you can't feed off of it," Cloud retorted.

The two started to circle each other as Yuffie gathered up Tifa and carried her to the Crystal. "I have to get the other two," Yuffie said.

"I shall help you. It will go faster and be better for Cloud," Crystal said as she followed Yuffie back into the room.

The creature hunched it's legs and propelled itself forward. Cloud was taken by surprise at how fast it moved and didn't get out of the way completely as the creature raked it's claws across his chest. He felt the blood start to flow and he grunted with the pain. He backed off and watched the creature hoping to spot a weakness.

There were none that he could see so he crept forward. The creature kicked out with it's left leg as Cloud neared and he rolled underneath it. Cloud came to his feet right in front of the creature. He knelt down quickly and placed himself in between the creatures legs and put his shoulders under the outstretched leg. He heaved upward then and knocked the creature off it's feet. 

He swung down with the sword and sliced the creature on the leg as it tried to rise. As it got to it's knees he brought the sword down in cross cut that sliced the creature across the chest. 

It pulled itself to it's feet then and reached out with lightning quick speed. It knocked Cloud's sword from his grasp and clamped down on his hurt shoulder with it's massive clawed hand. The claws bit deep into Cloud's flesh and he winced with the pain. "You die now," it said as it pulled Cloud in close.

Cloud could feel it's fetid breath on his face and smell the stench of carrion. He knew that the only thing he could do was try and stop it. He reached up and put a hand on top and on the bottom of the things open mouth. As he moved his hurt shoulder trembled and the creatures claws dug deeper into his flesh but he had a hold of the things mouth in both hands.

He felt it's salvia burning his hands and then it spit the stuff and it landed on his face. He felt it burning the flesh off his face but he knew that he was the only one who had a chance of killing this thing. He started to pry its mouth open. His muscles bulged and he winced in pain but he continued to pry.

The creature knew what Cloud was trying to do and it was amazed at the strength that Cloud possessed. The thing knew that the only thing that it could hope for was to keep its mouth shut. It flexed its muscles in its neck and tried to keep its mouth shut but it was failing.

The muscles in it's neck were too strained under the pressure that Cloud was applying and it relaxed for a second but that was too long. Cloud tore its jaws apart and used such force that he tore the things head apart at the jaws. One went high and the other went low. Cloud was sprayed with the things blood but he didn't care. He had won and at about that time he collapsed to the ground and curled into a ball.

He face was a twisted mass of flesh from the things salvia. His hands were missing most of the skin and he was bleeding profusely from many wounds. His shoulder hurt like hell as did the rest of his body. The potion wore off and he knew that he was only a little ways from dead. The poison had rushed through his veins at a enhanced speed due to the potion and its effects on his body. He closed his eyes then and waited for death to claim him.


	10. Life's Breath

Disclaimer: I don't own the Final Fantasy cast.

Copyright: I own Cassandra so please ask me if you wish to use her.

Life's Breath

Tifa ran over to where the canteen with Cloud's blood was laying and she scooped it up. She ran back over to Cloud though and knelt down next to him. He looked so fragile and she was terrified that she was going to lose him. His face was as white as snow and he was bleeding everywhere. He was missing skin on his face and he just looked like hell.

She sat the canteen down and picked Cloud up holding him around the chest. She held him close to her as she sat there. Tears started to stream down her face as she felt how cold his skin was. She knew that he was close to death but she didn't know what to do about. "Don't you die on me Cloud. Don't you dare," she whispered fiercely. 

She felt a hand on her shoulder then and she looked up into the eyes of Crystal. "Tifa we need to get the water into that canteen. Give it to me and I shall do it," Crystal said as her voice broke with emotion. She too didn't want to see Cloud die. He was too important to her as a hero and icon. 

"All right," Tifa said as she handed the canteen over and her body was shook by sobs. The tears fell down her cheeks and dripped from her face down onto Cloud. He didn't stir much but Tifa didn't expect him to.

"D . . . Do . . . Don't cry for me . . . Tifa," Cloud croaked out. He didn't want her to be sad for him. He didn't want anyone to mourn his passing. It was better if no one did. He didn't want to be loved that much. He didn't deserve such feelings he felt.

"Oh god Cloud why did you have to come and help us," Yuffie said as she covered her face with her hands. 

"Be . . . Because I . . . I wanted to," Cloud said as his body was wracked with pain and he arched his back. It was as if some great giant was trying to bend him in half.

"Is he going to be alright," Cassandra asked fearful. He had been one of the only guys that had ever been nice to her. Her father hadn't been and she feared him so much. But when she was with Cloud she felt safe and secure. He had that aura about him and she didn't want to lose that feeling. She knew it was selfish but she also liked him. After all not everyone would have taken her in and helped her like he had.

Marlene was saddened to see the way that her friends were. Tifa was in tears and so was Yuffie something that she hadn't seen very often. She couldn't bring herself to cry for Cloud though. She hadn't known him well enough to feel grief for the way that he was. Marlene was sad though because of the pain Cloud's death was causing Tifa and Yuffie. She was just glad that the rest of the old team wasn't around to see what had become of Cloud.

Crystal had taken the canteen away from Tifa and sprinted over to the fountain. She knew that she didn't have all that much time. That potion that she had given Cloud had helped him but it had also sped up his death. He was on the verge of dying at the moment and every second counted if she wanted to save him.

She filled the canteen and watched in amazement as the gold water turned colors when it came into contact with the blood. The gold water started to bubble and sizzle and the blood was diluted. After about a minute the bubbling stopped and she saw that the water had changed color to more of a silver color and the blood wasn't there to be seen. She knew that the potion had been made then and so she ran back over to where Cloud was laying nearly dead. 

"Cloud, Cloud," Crystal yelled at the immobile man. His eyes flickered open and he gazed at her though his eyes couldn't really focus.

"What is it Crystal," Tifa asked as she wiped the tears away with the back of her hand. She couldn't be that weak for Cloud. Not when he needed her to be strong.

"Here I have the cure. You need to make him drink it. He needs to drink it all though," Crystal said as she handed the canteen over to Tifa. She took the canteen gently so as not to drop it. It was Cloud's only salvation and she didn't want to lose it.

"Cloud please listen to me," Tifa begged as she gingerly started to lift the canteen to his lips. "You need to drink this ok. You need to drink this in order to heal," Tifa said and her voice broke on the last part of the sentence. She couldn't help it.

"Tifa I . . . I . . . will drink . . . it," Cloud mumbled. 

Tifa lifted the canteen to his lips and started to pour it down his throat. Cloud drank slowly and evenly not wanting to choke on the liquid. Surprisingly it tasted rather sweet with a hint of copper to it. Cloud recognized the copper taste as that from blood but the sweet taste he couldn't figure out why it was there. The liquid cooled down his body as he drank it. He felt his fever break and his throat was no longer on fire. He knew that the cure was working.

"He is going to need to rest now," Crystal said as Cloud drained the last of the canteen on his own. He had taken the canteen from Tifa and downed the rest in a quick gulp. He yawned then and laid back on the hard cold stone floor.

"All right we all need to rest I think," Yuffie said as she stretched and looked around at the rest of them.

"I agree with that," Cassandra said as she stretched out on the ground as well.

"Well I am tired as well," Marlene said. "First though I have to give Cloud something back." She walked over to where he was asleep already and gently laid his sword down next to him. Without even waking up Cloud reached out and grabbed the hilt of the sword as if he were searching for the hand of his lover or friend.

"Sweet dreams Cloud," Marlene said quietly as she laid down then as well. Sleep came fast for the whole group. Much too easy they would have thought if they hadn't all been asleep. 

*****

Cloud was the first to awake and he felt sore all over. He looked down at his body and shook his head slowly. He was a mess with blood covering his body and his cloths were torn. His face still hurt from where that thing had spit on him and his arm was sore where it had punctured his shoulder. 

Cloud reached down and picked up his sword and cast Cure on himself. He felt a whole lot better after that and so he decided that it was time that he do a real exercise routine to get back into form. He hadn't been able to do one now for a couple of days and his body was protesting it's disuse.

He stretched first and then popped his neck. He walked over and picked up his sword a second time from where he had set it down and slowly walked to the center of the large room. He didn't want to leave his friends while they still slept so he decided that he would be quiet while he practiced. 

Cloud went through his formations slowly at first and then faster and faster. He was working so hard that he didn't even realize that someone had already woken up and was watching him. His muscles were burning by the time he lowered his sword point to the ground. He was breathing heavy but that was to be expected. He knew though that it wouldn't take very long at all to be back into shape. The Mako energy would help with his recovery.

While Cloud was catching his breath he heard Tifa say, "That never ceases to amaze me Cloud. It is so beautiful to watch. It looks like a dance and yet I think that you need a partner."

She stepped out away from the wall where she had been cloaked in shadows and smiled at Cloud. He slowly smiled back at her. God she was beautiful he couldn't help but think. Her long dark hair and her eyes that still held their touch of innocence. He wished that he still had that look. 

"What's wrong Cloud," Tifa said as she walked up to him. She was still worried about him and Cloud knew it.

"Nothing Tifa. I will be fine after I finish what I started," Cloud said as he shook his head slightly.

"What do you mean," Tifa inquired.

"I must get Yuffie's children back. I will get them back. I promised her and I will keep that promise. Tifa I swear that nothing on this planet will keep from saving those kids," Cloud said savagely.

"I know Cloud I know," Tifa said as she put an arm around him. "That's not what is bothering you the most though is it. Tell me Cloud what is truly bothering you. We have always been able to tell each other anything."

Cloud took a deep breath then. He really wanted to talk to someone. Being alone was what he was used to but having people around was nice as well. "Tifa it is about his guy that kidnapped the kids you know Soren. He isn't that old, no older than I was when we became heroes. He hates me Tifa and I don't know as if I really blame him. After all I killed his father and that is a thing that is hard to live with. I have little desire to kill him but he is forcing my hand here," Cloud said softly.

Tifa had never seen Cloud like that before and it made her wonder. She wondered if he was finally tired of all the killing. He sure seemed to be. Before he had accepted it and dealt with it but it seemed as if now the killing was starting to affect him. "Oh Cloud you are doing the right thing. As you said the kid is forcing your hand," Tifa reassured him or at least tried to.

"Tifa I know what I have to do and I will do it. That kid is mad, he got that from his father, and he has forced my hand. I will have to kill him I know that now. I just, I don't know what I was hoping for," Cloud finished as he shrugged Tifa's comforting hand off. He didn't need it now. Now he needed to be the Cloud that he knew and everyone else knew.

The rest of the group woke up then and they all headed down the mountain with Cloud in the lead. Tifa fell back behind a ways and wondered if she should tell Cloud and the others when they got back to town. She had a secret from them all and she needed to tell everyone. It was something that they should all be in on but she didn't want to hurt Cloud like she knew she would.

*****

Cloud and the rest of them walked into the small town and they went directly to the old man's house. Crystal ran ahead of them then to tell her grandfather that they had returned with the hero still alive and better than he had been. Cloud didn't care though. He had a job to do and once that was done he would go back to his life alone.

He glanced over at Tifa and she looked away almost guilty like. He shrugged and didn't think too much about it. He was entitled to herself as much as the next person. The door to the house was already open for them and they walked in. "Well we made it back," Cloud said to anyone who cared.

"Yeah there for a while I wasn't so sure," Marlene said as she looked around glad to be back in civilization.

"Well I for one am totally glad that we are all alive," Cassandra said as she hugged herself.   
Yuffie was quiet which was unusual Cloud thought. He figured though that it was due to her missing children. Cloud would never know that feeling though he figured and so he didn't let it trouble him overmuch. Tifa was good at comforting so he would let her do it.

"Cloud it is good to see you still breathing and in better health," the old man said as he came into the room that they were all gathered in.

"Yeah I am still alive and kicking," Cloud replied.

"That is good. I must tell you something that the spirits have seen fit to tell me," he said.

"And what is that pray tell," Cloud demanded not liking this game already. The man had been playing a game with them since they had first arrived. It was as if he knew something that they didn't and was enjoying dangling it right in front of them but not telling them what it was.

"I am to tell you warrior that the only way that you will win this battle you must fight is with the sword," he said happily.

"What sword," Cloud wanted to know. "I already have one."

"No not that one. What you need is the sword at the top of snowkeep mountain. It is a blade that has been there for eons. NO one has ever been able to make it to the blade in order to retrieve it," the old man cackled.

"How am I to get it then," Cloud demanded.

"You are the chosen one Cloud. This blade is made from a part of the Lifestream. It was tore away thanks to powerful magic and forged into a blade by a people long forgotten. Only this blade will allow you to win the battle that must fight," he said.

"Fine I shall go get this blade in the morning. I need to rest my body first," Cloud said as he walked away.

"You do that Cloud. The world depends on you and you don't even know it," the man said sadly and quietly.

*****

Cloud had been laying down by the fireplace when Tifa, Marlene, and Yuffie walked into the room. He looked over at them and smiled slightly glad that his friends were with him. 

"Have a seat ladies," Cloud said as he gestured to the floor.

Cloud looked over at Tifa and again she looked away as if guilty of something. He was tired of that look already and so he asked, "What is wrong Tifa. Tell me what it is."

"I don't know if I should tell you with all that is going on," Tifa said sheepishly.

"Whatever it is won't affect what I am doing or what must be done," Cloud said hoping to reassure her.

"Well okay. I was going to tell everyone this before the big incident with your children Yuffie. I had asked everyone there for a reason but then a bigger reason was given to us," Tifa started and everyone was paying close attention especially Cloud. She hoped what she had to say wouldn't hurt him too bad. She loved him like a brother and at one time she had loved him even more than that.

Even she though needed the love of someone. She had finally found that love and it was because of that, which she needed to tell her friends. She had to tell them something very important that would affect her life profoundly.

"Go on Tifa," Marlene encouraged. Marlene's smile was infectious and Tifa smiled back. She was glad that Marlene was there for she would be as happy as Yuffie would be. At least Tifa hoped they would be happy for her.

"Well I am just going to come out and say it. I am getting married next year," Tifa said as she smiled at them all.

They were all stunned but none so much as Cloud. He should have known that it would happen but he had never thought about it. He had always thought that she would wait for him but it never occurred to him that she would find someone with whom she could love. He had secretly always hoped that she would but he hadn't even thought about it.

"That is great so you and Cloud are finally getting married huh," Yuffie said as she jumped up and hugged Tifa who was still smiling.

Tifa thought that it felt great to get that out in the open. She had been tired of hiding it from everyone. She was just glad that they were happy for her. Then it dawned on her what Yuffie had said. Her and Cloud. No it wasn't her and Cloud but her and Steven a man with whom she loved as much as she had once loved Cloud. Before Tifa could correct Yuffie Cloud spoke up.

His voice was so cold that it sent a shiver up Tifa's spine. She had hoped he would be happy for her now though she knew that she was wrong. "No Yuffie not Me. I am not in that picture perfect world of hers," Cloud growled as he stood up slowly.

"What do you mean. I always thought that you two would get hitched. You were meant for each other," Yuffie said not quite understanding.

"Well I couldn't wait for you any longer Cloud! Steven was there when you weren't and I needed someone. He comforted me and treated me like I had always wanted to be treated. When he asked me to marry him it was the happiest day of my life! Then you came back when I didn't think that I would ever see you again," Tifa cried out to him.

"Save it Tifa. You have Yuffie here and Marlene who are both happy for you. I don't have to be that is my right. I will say though that I am glad that you found someone who will be there for you though," Cloud said his voice still cold as he walked out of the room his back stiff. On his way out he grabbed his sword from where he had left it leaning against the doorway.

Tifa felt tears come to her eyes but she wiped them away to see the smiling faces of Marlene and Yuffie. "I am sorry that it isn't Cloud but it is great you are getting married," Yuffie said.

"Who is this Steven guy," Marlene wanted to know all excited again. She had never thought that Tifa could keep such a good secret from anybody.

Tifa didn't want to talk at the moment but she didn't want to her friend's feelings. She stood there and put on a smile which didn't need to be forced as she started talking about Steven. It wasn't long until she forgot about her feelings of a moment before.

"He is the greatest man. He is sweet and kind and will do anything to please me. He is everything that I have wanted in a man," Tifa said after she had described him a bit to them.

"That is truly great Tifa. So are we all invited or what," Marlene asked hoping that she could be a bridesmaid.

"Yes you are all invited," Tifa said as she laughed at the youthful exuberance of Marlene.

"I am glad that you are getting married. I was getting a little lonesome in the married life. I was starting to think out of all of us I was going to be the only one to get married," Yuffie said as she hugged Tifa again.

"This is great but I can't help but wonder about Cloud," Marlene said.

"Oh he is just Cloud. He will cool down and come back and congratulate Tifa shortly," Yuffie said.

Tifa wasn't so sure though. The reaction she had gotten from Cloud hadn't been one of the many that she had played out in her mind. She hadn't anticipated him not being the lest bit happy for her. She had thought that he would be mad she almost was sure of it.

Cloud though had not been hurt like she thought. He had been mad true but just a little bit. He had been more cold and distant than anything. She hadn't expected that and it made her nervous. She wondered what he would do. She hoped that he would come around and even go to her wedding. It would be that much better if he did but she just didn't know.

The way he had just stood up and walked away so quickly and without a backwards glance. It was as if he had known something like that was coming and she wondered if he hadn't expected it. It was as if wasn't even hurt like she had thought he would be. She had figured that his feelings would be hurt since she had always thought that they would end up together.

At least she hadn't told him that she was pregnant. She couldn't imagine what he would have said had he found out she was two months with child. He was bad enough just knowing that she was getting married.

*****  
Cloud walked away from the room where his friends were. That was all they were now was just friends. There was no chance of him getting back with Tifa and patching things up they way he should have so long ago. No she was truly gone and he knew it was coming. 

He had his sword on his back and his bracer on. He was nearing the door when Crystal came running up to him and asked, "Where are you going."

"I am going to go get that sword that your grandfather was talking about," Cloud said his voice even.

"Don't you want your friends to go along with you," Crystal asked curious.

"No this is a path that I must once again walk alone," Cloud said.

"What do you mean," She asked.

"I mean that I am a loner Crystal. I always have been and I always will be it seems. My path was chosen for me a long time ago. I must walk it alone like I always have. It is best that way. No one will get hurt but me," Cloud said as he walked out of the building not looking back once.

"Oh Cloud that is such a cold and lonely existence though. Why won't you let yourself love anymore," Crystal asked as she watched him disappear into the mountains.

"It may be a lonely existence but it was chosen by him as much as by fate granddaughter," the old man said as he came up behind her.

"Yes so you say. It wasn't his choice though," she argued like she did every time. "Tifa chose to marry that other man not Cloud. He had no choice in being a captive for five years."

"Yes but he didn't have to leave in order to search for a way to bring the girl Aeris back did he. He didn't have to hunt Hojo's men down did he. No girl it was as much his choice as anyone's," he said quietly.

"I know but it is sad to see such a great man like him. He lives day to day not caring whether he lives or dies. In actuality he is hoping for death. He is a man who knows that love is something that he will never have and he has accepted the hand that life and fate have dealt him. It is sad to see Cloud Strife like that. Such a great man and hero with no family and few friends," Crystal said.

"I agree with you child I really do," the old man said sadly as he looked to where Cloud had disappeared from view.

*****

Tifa and the rest of them woke up in the morning to find that Cloud was still gone. It was worrying her and so she ran into the main room where she found Crystal with a note in her hand.

Already in the room were the rest of the group. "I was waiting for you Tifa before I told you what this says," Crystal said as she held the note up.

"Ok I am here now so tell us," Tifa said as her breath became quick.

"It basically says that Cloud has went to get the sword without any of you. He said that he couldn't let you all risk your lives for something that he must do. It was his path and his choice. It also said to tell you Tifa to have a long and happy life if he didn't return from his trip," Crystal said as she pocketed the note.

"That is just like Cloud trying to get all the glory," Yuffie said though she wondered about it. Cloud normally wouldn't have done that.

"Let's go after him. He made need our help," Tifa said as she started for the door. 

"I am afraid that I can't let you do that," Crystal said as the door slammed shut.

"What do you mean," Tifa yelled at Crystal.

"It was you who set him upon the path and so it is all of you who must sit here and wait for him to come back to you," Crystal said.

"I don't get it," Cassandra said confused.

"What I am saying is that Tifa forced Cloud into doing this yesterday. There is no way that you could catch him. He asked me to keep you all here so that none of you would get hurt. I will do that for him," Crystal said as she sat back down.

"Fine we will wait here for him but we don't have to be happy about it," Marlene said angry.

"I never said that you did," Crystal said as she watched them all. She could tell that they all loved Cloud in their own way. It was nice but Cloud wouldn't allow himself to feel that one emotion.


	11. The Trek For a Sword

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy or it's characters.

The Trek

Cloud stormed out of the little village in the mountains never looking back. He didn't need to. He had found out from the old man earlier where he had to go in order to get this sword that he needed. That was where he was going right now. If he needed the blade so bad then he would just have to get it. He would do it though without his constant friends and companions.

As he walked he let his mind go back over what Tifa had said. She was to be married. Cloud should have known that it would happen since he hadn't been there but it was still something that he could hardly believe. It had taken him many years to see that Tifa was the woman for him but now it was too late. Oh he knew that he could try and take her away from this Steven but he wouldn't. He wouldn't do that to Tifa, he wouldn't get in the way of her happiness. Everyone was entitled to their happiness it seemed except for him. 

Cloud shrugged his muscled shoulders and decided that he would never find happiness except in death. It was something that he could look forward to and it would hold a warm embrace for him. Yes death was all that he had left in this life to look forward to after he had completed his promise to Yuffie.

He hated the fact that Tifa was getting married though. He may have death to look forward to but at one time he had looked forward to seeing her smiling face. He had once longed to feel her touch and to feel that life that coursed in her. Now though he would never get to feel those things with her the way that he had wanted. Now he would only know her as a friend and maybe not even that anymore.

"If I had just been more kind and more, oh I don't know," Cloud muttered to himself as he kicked a rock that was in his path. He didn't know what he could have done but he knew that he should have done something to make Tifa realize that he loved her. Now that love was no more snuffed out like a candle in a gale of wind. 

Cloud knew his feelings and those feelings told him that deep down he was better off without her. He knew that to be true but it just hurt. It hurt knowing that her love he would never have again. He knew that when she married this Steven she would be happy and she would have children. She would also be safe from anyone hunting him and all the enemies that he had accumulated over the years.

She wouldn't have to worry about him leaving the house and never coming back. She would never have to worry about getting a letter saying that he was dead. She was truly better off without him and he knew it. "Yes Tifa I understand that you are better off without me. I am glad that you have found your happiness after all these years. You deserve it," Cloud said as a weight was lifted from his heart.

His steps were lighter now and he knew that he was alone again. He was back to a place in his life that he knew very well. Yes indeed Cloud Strife was a man alone against all odds and that was just the way he liked it. There was no one better than him and he would prove it to Sephiroth's son and he would get Yuffie's kids back to her safe and sound. Yes she had trusted him and he wouldn't let that trust be misplaced. He would do everything he had to in order to return her children to her.

*****

Tifa was not happy that Cloud had left her behind. He was the same old Cloud and she knew that there was never going to be anyone that could change him. At one time she had hoped that she could but now she knew better. She still loved him which hurt even more than telling him that she was getting married. 

Tifa closed her eyes and felt her stomach where she knew that her child was growing. The child that once she had hoped Cloud would have been the father of. The child that now would have a different father and would never know Cloud probably. She knew that she had hurt Cloud and she knew that after he completed his quest then he would probably leave for good. She knew that he would search for his death in battle then and she knew that she was would never see him again though she hoped that she was wrong.

"It's alright Tifa Cloud is a big boy he can take care of himself," Yuffie said as she walked into the small room where Tifa had been pacing. Yuffie knew that Tifa was beating herself up over having found herself another man to take Cloud's place since he hadn't been there for her.

"I know he is a big boy Yuffie it is just that I think I hurt him even more than we did when he had first returned to us," Tifa said and she wondered if it wasn't the truth.

Yuffie walked over to Tifa and they both sat down on the rug in the center of the room. "I don't know Tifa, I don't know what to tell you. All I can say is that I am honestly happy for you. It is about time that you found yourself someone. Cloud had his chance and he passed it up though for reasons of his own. We know that know but it is too late to go back Tifa," Yuffie said as she put an arm around her friend and pulled her head down to her shoulder. It was weird Yuffie thought. She was comforting Tifa when it had always been the other way around. Tifa had always comforted her whenever Vincent had made her mad or sad. Tifa had always been the rock and now the roles were reversed.

"I didn't want to hurt him," Tifa said as tears sprang to her eyes and started to fall.

"I know Tifa, I know. We are all entitled to our happiness though, so you shouldn't feel this sad. You are going to get married and that is a great thing. What is more it is to a man that you love," Yuffie said as she placed her chin on the top of Tifa's head.

"Oh Yuffie I just don't know if I really love Steven," Tifa said as the tears kept falling.

"Tifa you know that you do or else you would have never agreed to marry him. You and I both know that you still love Cloud and there is nothing wrong with that. He is a great man, but Tifa, you want a family and that is something that I fear Cloud can't give you and you know that as well," Yuffie said as she stroked Tifa's hair.

"Yuffie Cloud is entitled to his happiness as well. I think that maybe I took that from him when I agreed to marry Steven. I have never seen Cloud that way before in my life. Never," Tifa sobbed into Yuffie's chest.

"I think Tifa that you did the right thing. None of us knew at that time that Cloud was coming back. None of us knew anything about him during those twenty years. All we knew was that he was alive and the only reason we knew that was because we all had to believe it. I don't fault you and I think that Cloud won't either," Yuffie whispered to Tifa.

"I guess that you are right my friend. I love Steven and I love Cloud. I need and want a family. That is something that Steven can give me. Cloud perhaps could have but not anymore. He will have to find his own happiness," Tifa said as she lifted her head from Yuffie's breast.

That was when they both heard a sniff and some clapping. They both turned to see a man standing in the doorway. The same man that had nearly killed Cloud with that creature on the slopes of the mountains. The same man that had claimed to be Sephiroth's son. The same man that had kidnapped Yuffie's children.

"That was touching. Really I have never heard anything so sad in my life, let me dry my eyes please," he said sarcastically as he dabbed at his dry eyes. "Really now do you think that happiness truly exits? You are a fool and the hero Cloud is better off without you. You would have made him weak and my battle with him would have been so worthless. He wouldn't have had any steel in him and I would have defeated him easily," The man Soren said as he waved his hand at them.

"Shut up you bastard," Yuffie yelled at him. "You have my children. Why don't you just let them go. They never did anything to you."

"No they didn't did they. No I only need them to bring Cloud to me. He will come as long as I have your children. Yes that is what I need. He and I have a battle to fight and nothing will keep us from it," Soren said his voice as hard as the steel in his hand.

"So you want to kill Cloud for killing your father huh. Your father was mad and evil. If he had succeeded you wouldn't even be alive Soren. Do you really want to kill Cloud for something that was a good deed," Tifa asked as she grabbed Yuffie by the arm holding her back.

"As a matter of fact yes," Soren said as he started forward. "As of this moment I have men taking Marlene and Cassandra into custody. I will use them as bait as well as the both of you," Soren said as the distance between them closed.

*****

"Well Marlene what do you think of this marriage thing. I don't know much but I think that Tifa hurt Cloud a lot," Cassandra said as she ran the whetstone down the length of her blade.

"I am happy for Tifa as you should be. After all you are a part of our little family now whether you want to admit it or not Cassandra. As such you need to be happy for the joy that each of us gets. It is a good thing that Tifa has finally decided to get on with her life," Marlene said trying to convince Cassandra.

"I am happy but it just seems sad that Cloud has no one. Out of everyone only Cloud doesn't have anyone now, right?" Cassandra thought that it was so but she wasn't sure.

"Well dad has me and I guess that he was seeing Aeris's mother for a time and he does have a new flame. Yuffie has Vincent, Tifa has Steven, and Cait Sith has well himself. I guess that you are right," Marlene said.

Marlene loved Cloud like a older brother that was true. She thought that he deserved his happiness but she wasn't sure that he would ever find it. His one chance he had passed up and she guessed that Cloud would never search for another woman in his life.

Just as Cassandra was getting ready to say something else the door to their room burst open and men poured into their room. There were more than ten of the men and they all had guns trained on the girls before they could even react. 

Cassandra started to raise her sword when one of the men lifted his sword and pointed right at her, "I wouldn't if I were girlie. If you want to live then I suggest that you drop that sword and put your hands in the air. The same goes for your friend there."

"This isn't good at all is it Marlene," Cassandra said as she sat the sword down on the table in front of her. She didn't want to part with it since Cloud had given it to her and she wanted to keep it with her always. The problem was that she had to part with it if she wanted to live.

"Let's go girls," the man said and they marched the girls right out of the room.

*****

Cloud was more than halfway up the mountain that he was told the sword was at the top of. The wind was whipping his cloths out behind him and his hair was plastered back. Still though Cloud kept climbing. He wouldn't give up not with being so close. He needed to get that sword and so he would.

Step after step he slowly climbed the hill never looking back down. He needed to look ahead and where to put his next step in order to keep from tumbling back down the mountain. "Now I know why no one has ever gotten this damn sword," Cloud growled to himself. Now not only was the wind blowing but the weather wasn't cooperating. It was snowing and his hands were cold making his grip unsure.

Cloud was starting to wonder if everyone froze to death before they reached the summit of the mountain. The higher he climbed the worse it got to. Before long it was blowing ice into his face and his lips were turning blue. He knew that it was only a matter of time before he too met the same fateful end that many before him had.

It took Cloud the better part of a day, upwards of fifteen hours to make it halfway up the mountain. Due to his enhanced strength and stamina he was able to climb about four times faster than the normal person would have been able to. He knew that it would take him at least three more days to make the rest of the journey though. Three more days of hell and three more days to climb fifteen thousand more feet. 

Cloud sheltered for the night in a small hollow in the side of the mountain where the wind didn't hit him and he wasn't near so cold. He knew that he needed sleep and yet was afraid that if he fell asleep then he might not wake up. He laid there for more than an hour debating whether to sleep or not when Yuffie's voice came back to him, "I trusted you Cloud. I trusted you."

"I know Yuffie, and I will succeed," Cloud said. He knew what he had to do then and he knew that it was going to be unpleasant. He slowly stood up and walked back out into the blinding wind and snow. He placed his cold hand on the rocky side of the mountain and once again slowly started to climb.

All the while Yuffie's voice kept egging him on. He wouldn't fail her. Not again. Not anymore. He would make it up there and then everything would be fine. He climbed with only Yuffie's voice in his head and one thought in his mind. The thought that he had to get the blade. He climbed in a haze and the cold continued to sap his strength. 

Darkness fell again but Cloud didn't even notice. He had his goal in his mind and he wouldn't fail. He continued to climb oblivious to the fact that it was dangerous to climb in the dark with his arms trembling and his hand's turning blue from the cold. Cloud lost all thought shortly after that. 

The next thing that he remembered was that he was laying on his stomach in an area that wasn't so cold. The cold didn't seem to touch him anymore and he knew that was a very bad thing since it meant that the onset of death wasn't that far off. He put his arms underneath him and pushed himself to his feet. He stood there and looked around. The sun was up and shining brightly and Cloud had to rub his eyes so that they would adjust to the light.

Cloud knew that he was at the summit of the mountain when he turned his head and saw the object of his quest. He knew that he had to get he sword and so he walked over to it slowly. It was hovering in the air with nothing supporting it. Cloud flexed his hands and the skin cracked and he started to bleed. "Well it seems that I got frostbitten nearly to the point of death," he said to himself.

The air was starting to make him wonder. There was no way that it should be as warm as it was. The mountain where he was standing should have been covered in snow not having grass growing around the summit with a warm breeze ruffling his hair. "This is just getting too interesting."

"Well sword it seems you and I have had a destiny and now it is time to fulfill that destiny," Cloud said and he believed it. 

He reached for the sword and as his hand got within about six inches of the hilt Cloud's hand was covered in frost. He jerked his hand back and rubbed it. "Ok now that was unexpected. It seems I must persist though," Cloud said as he reached forward.

As his hand neared the hilt for a second time it was coated in frost again and his hand started to ache. He knew that he was in trouble but he had to get the sword. He pushed his hand forward and it moved slowly as the frost moved up his arm to match how far he had moved his hand. 

Cloud couldn't hardly move his fingers his hand was so cold. As his hand closed to within an inch of the hilt fire erupted from the blade bathing his hand melting the ice coating his hand and burning the flesh. Cloud gritted his teeth as he smelled his burning flesh. Cloud wanted to cry out in pain but it wasn't in him to do so though no one was around to hear his screams of pain.

Cloud felt the hilt press against his palm and he closed his hand around the hilt. His fingers fit perfectly around the hilt and he watched in amazement as his flesh grew back on his hand. He knew at that moment that the frost and the fire had been but a test to see if he had the perseverance to get the sword.

He held the sword in front of him and slashed the blade a few times. It was balanced perfectly and the blade was sharper than any other sword he had ever seen. It was a good blade and one he had been told was the only hope of killing his enemy. 

Cloud's eyes blazed as he thought of his enemy. Septhiroth and his son Soren. They would die and Yuffie would get her children back. Cloud made a promise and he would keep it. Nothing short of death would keep Cloud from killing those enemies that would destroy the world given the chance.

Cloud sheathed his new blade and headed back down the mountain all the while fueled by thoughts of getting Yuffie's children back. Cloud moved with purpose and all thoughts of the betrayal of Tifa fled his mind. He had to kill his enemies and there was nothing else to it.

*****

Cloud saw the old man standing out front of his house when Cloud arrived. he had a sad face and Cloud couldn't guess why but he was going to find out. He walked right up to him and asked, "What is it why the long face."

"Your friends they are gone. Soren came and took them. He brought many men with guns and other weapons and your friends went without even putting up a fight. I couldn't stop them, I'm sorry," the old man said as he hung his head.

Cloud stepped in close and patted the man on the shoulder. "It is alright. Don't worry about it. There was a reason they didn't fight. They knew they would have been killed and none of them want to die. I don't blame them at all," Cloud said as his anger started to build again.

He couldn't believe that his friends were now hostages as well! What was he going to do. He was good that was true but he couldn't fight if they threatened the lives of his friends. Cloud knew at that moment that he was dead and he accepted like he always had. He wasn't afraid of it in fact he would welcome the end that it would bring. It would leave an opening for someone else to become a hero. Maybe someone would be a better hero than Cloud was. That was all Cloud could hope for.

"I have a way of getting you where you need to go now but we must wait a full day. That is when the full moon is," the old man said breaking into Cloud's thoughts.

"Then we will wait won't we," Cloud said his voice dead. The old man shivered at the sound of it. 

"I have something to ask you. They took Cassandra with them as well. Will you please save her when you save your friends," the old man asked a bit nervous that Cloud might say no.

Cloud turned slowly and the old man took a step back at the glowing eyes that he saw. "I will do what I can old man that is all I can promise now," Cloud said in his cold voice. A voice that made the old man wonder just what this hero might do. He then turned and walked away from the old man and into the house. He had some packing to do.

*****

A full day had passed and Cloud was packed. Cloud put his small backpack on and then slung his new sword across his back. His backpack contained enough food and water for three days. He didn't plan on being wherever he was going for any longer than that. If he was though then he would just have to kill a few monsters and learn to like the meat that they provided. He had something to do and he was quite sure that he wouldn't survive it.

Cloud walked into the room where Cassandra and Marlene had been when they had been taken away. He walked around the room and noticed the scuff marks on the wooden floor. They were the marks of men used to wearing combat boots and the scuff marks indicated that the boots they were wearing were indeed combat boots. 

Cloud ran his hand along the wall where it looked like one of the men might have walked along with the tip of his blade pressed into the wood. "I don't care how may there were. They are all going to die," Cloud whispered to no one as his eyes fell on the table and the two swords laying upon it. 

One he recognized right away for it's familiar weight wasn't with him now. He looked upon his Buster sword, his only constant in his life. The sword that had been with him through everything. The sword that he would die with in his hand if he had his way. Cloud walked over to the table then and gazed at the second sword.

The second sword was familiar as well. Cloud never forgot a sword that he handled and the sword laying on the table next to his Buster sword was none other than the blade he had bought for Cassandra. He closed his eyes then and took a deep breath. Now he knew that they had taken them and left their weapons here. Cloud figured he would need to arm his friends if they were to get out of there and so he picked up both blades and slung across his back. It was very ackward to move around with three blades on ones back but he couldn't help it. If he had to battle then he would just drop two of them. He figured that he would need both of them.

He left the room then and went to where Tifa and Yuffie had been staying and filled up the rest of his backpack with Yuffie's throwing stars. He didn't know what else to take and so he headed to find the old man. Cloud needed to hurry up and save his friends. He didn't know why but he just felt that something bad was going to happen if he didn't. 

*****

Cloud found the old man in a small room at the back of the house that had runes along the walls and a large circle drawn on the floor. Cloud saw that at four points on the circle were marked what seemed to be the four directions. The old man was sitting cross legged with his back to the far wall and his eyes closed. He kept intoning the same phrase over and over. 

Cloud couldn't understand what the words were. They just seemed to flow right over his mind without him being able to grasp them in any way. It was frustrating especially since Cloud needed to get going so that he could save his friends. 

Cloud waited patiently for over fifteen minutes and then rather abruptly he said, "Old man when are you going to send me on my way like you said that you would."

The old man opened his eyes and smiled at Cloud as light shot through the roof of the room and piercied the center of the circle. The light shot out to the four directions that were marked and a small door seemed to open in the center of the circle as all the runes around the room glowed brightly. 

"Well Cloud it would seem that I am ready now," the old man said as he started to laugh. "Yes Cloud go on and meet your destiny. You have something to do I believe," the old man cackled like a man possessed. Cloud wasn't too sure that the old man was sane anymore. He wondered if perhaps losing his granddaughter had been too much for the old man. Cloud had heard that people lost their minds before from the grief of losing a loved one. Cloud though had never had to worry about that though, until Aeris had died. Cloud shook his head to clear it of dwindling on the past. He needed to look ahead at the moment and not back.

"Step through the door Cloud," came the old man's voice hard and firm. It held a note of command it seemed to Cloud who just shrugged and walked forward into the blinding light. 


	12. Captured

Captured

Cloud stepped though the doorway and found himself in a small room. He looked around quickly thinking that he hadn't gone anywhere but the room was different. The runes were not kept in good shape and the walls were crumbling. There were old decayed pieces of wood all over the room and the roof was missing some rather large blocks of stone. The most disturbing difference between the room he had been in and the one he was in now was the fact that the room he was now in held more than twenty men all with weapons trained on him.

"Dear stupid Cloud how good to see you," said Soren as he walked forward with a blade held in his hands.

"Soren, how did you know I would be here," Cloud growled as he let the two extra blades fall to the ground along with the backpack. He thought quickly and his eyes narrowed. "The old man's granddaughter. She is in on it as is the old man."

"No, no dear Cloud. As much as I would like to let you think that it was they who had betrayed you it is much more fun to tell you the truth," Soren said as he sheathed the blade and paced back and forth with his hands behind his back. "You see the truth is that even though Aeris talked to you I too could listen to her."

Cloud inhaled sharply at what Soren was getting at. "That's right foolish man. Aeris told me. I forced her to tell me," Soren said as he started to laugh maniacally.

Cloud started to draw his sword but Soren's laughter died quickly at the movement. " I don't think that would be smart," he said his voice cold.

"Why not. I think I could kill you quickly, before they could react," Cloud said with a grin on his face.

"Perhaps you could but then your friends would die and so would Yuffie's children. You see my men have orders that they kill your friends if they do not get word from me by morning," Soren said his voice back to being conversational.

"Tell me what you want then. If you want to kill me here is your chance," Cloud said as he held his arms out wide.

"No, no, well I mean not yet. I will kill you in due time but first I just want you to be my prisoner. So be a good boy and drop that last weapon of yours and your bracer since it contains your materia," Soren said happily.

Cloud dropped the blade and his bracer hoping that he would get the chance to gut the Soren later. He had to hope that he would. Either way he had to go along with Soren so that his friends lived.

"Very good you are a quick learner aren't you. Now men take him into custody," Soren said as he yawned and walked from the room.

Two men came forward and placed chains around his arms and legs. "Move," said one of the soldiers as he hit Cloud in the back of the head with the butt of his gun. Cloud stumbled forward and out of the house. He glanced over his shoulder and saw a man gather up all Cloud's things.

"Well at least you aren't leaving them," Cloud said.

"Of course not. We need you to have your weapon if we are to have our duel," Soren said from up front.

"Oh we will have a duel alright. If it is fair I will tear your heart out," Cloud growled as another man hit him in the back of the leg, and a different man punched Cloud in the face a few times. Cloud felt the blood start to trickle down from his temple and from the side of his mouth. He knew at that moment that Soren planned to have a bit of fun with him before their duel. Cloud guessed it was a way to punish not only Cloud for killing Soren's father Sephiroth, but to punish Cloud's friends by making them watch him being tortured.

"Now, now Cloud is that any way for a hero to act," Soren said innocently as he led them off into the distance.

Tifa was sitting with her back to the wall in their cell, if that was indeed what you could call it. The place was huge more than sixty feet sqaure. There were beds enough for them all. In that room there was Barret, Cid, Red, Yuffie, her husband Vincent, Marlene, Cassandra, Tifa and lastly Crystal who had tried to help them but had been captured in the process.

"Damn! What the hell we supposed to do now," Barret yelled as he hit the wall with his fist.

"Settle down Barret," Tifa said trying to be the calm one.

Vincent was holding Yuffie close over on his bed. He was stroking her hair and whispering to her. "Tifa I know that we should have faith in Cloud but I for one feel we should also face facts. He can't defeat them all. There are just to many," Vincent said as his hand closed unconsciously. It just didn't feel right without his gun.

"Vincent I have faith in Cloud. He would keep his word unless there was something that kept him from it," Yuffie said as she lifted her head to look at him.

"I just don't know. He is so different than I remember. All those years changed him," Vincent.

"Hell with that! We need to get out of here and get yer kids," Barret yelled again hitting the wall again.

"Father stop it that isn't helping," Marlene said admonishingly. "I am scared I really am. I don't know what they are going to do to us."

"They won't do anything to us Marlene. They need us to bring Cloud," Tifa said sadly knowing that it was true. Soren hated Cloud more than anything in the world. At least he didn't want to destroy the world like his father she thought.

"I just want my children," Yuffie said sadly as she hugged Vincent. "They are so close and yet so far away yet."  
"I know honey I know," Vincent said holding her tight.

"I am going to die here I think unless Cloud comes for us. I don't think that he will. He left us once he will do it again," Cid said as a wracking cough shook his frame.

"You don't know that Cid," Cassandra yelled at him even though he was a hero.

"Everyone calm down. Cloud will come I am sure of it," Crystal said from her cot. "It is in his blood. Even though you have all hurt him he will come."

"We'll see," Cid said as he patted Red like he would a dog.

"Come with us you two," a guard said as he opened the door to the cell.

Sky slowly stood up and urged her brother up. She was in better shape and had taken their captivity a bit better than he had. He was tired and weak from being sick. They missed both missed their mother and they both wanted to go home.

Joren wanted to see Marlene again and be with her. He had hoped that there could be a future for them but now he wasn't so sure. He thought that he might die here without anyone even trying to help them. That was a though that he just couldn't stand.

"Come on Joren we need to go with them," Sky said as she helped her brother up. He was doing better now that he was over his sickness but they hadn't helped him get over it.

"Alright sis let's go," he said as he started forward on legs that were a bit weak.

They were led out of their room. They weren't sure where they were going now. They weren't headed in the direction of the commons area where they ate, or to the training yard. They were going in a different direction where they had been told other cells were located.

As they passed the torture room they saw the men strapping a man to a metal bed. As they watched the men placed electrodes all over his body and another laid out knives and other instruments. The man's face was covered in blood and his hair was matted with it. They didn't get a real good look at him either as they were shoved along.

"Don't be nosy," one of the men said.

"Ok, sorry," Sky said as they passed another room and saw the men place three swords in the room along with a backpack stuffed full of things.

"I wonder what's going on," she whispered to her brother.

"Who knows. Maybe they caught an intruder," he whispered back.

"Indeed I have," came a voice they knew very well.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to be nosy," Sky said not wanting to anger Soren. He was frightening when he was mad.

"That is fine. It was a little hard not to be when my men were so sloppy," he said conversationally. "Would you like to know who I have now?"

"Um . . Sure," Joren said a little hesitantly.

"I have the great Cloud Stife. The hero, the slayer of my father," he said happy as could be.

"But . . . but he looked dead," Sky said.

"Oh no not yet. He and I have to duel. No I am just punishing him for killing my father right now," Soren said.

"But how can you do that. He saved the world and you!" Sky yelled at Soren then cringed for fear of what he might do to her.

Soren turned to her and said simply. "He killed my father. What would you do had he done that to your father. To the world he is a hero, but to me he is nothing more than a murderer."

Soren took a deep breath then and calmed himself. "I did say though that if he showed up alone and gave himself up you could go home. I have decided that I won't let you go home yet but I will let you see your parents and be with them. Take them to their parents," Soren said as he snapped his fingers at his men who herded the two of them down the hall. Soren walked into the room where Cloud was and shut the door behind him.

They heard men approaching the door and Tifa was ready to spring forward and possibly fight her way out if there were but one or two of them. She wouldn't sit there and wait for them to either kill all of them or let them rot in their cell. No she would get out and if possible warn Cloud. She owed it to him at least.

The door opened and just as Tifa was ready to spring forward she was stopped in her tracks as she saw Joren and Sky shoved into the room. "Compliments of Soren. Be happy that Cloud did as he was told," one of the men said as he closed the door then.

"Mom, Dad," the both cried out in unison and rushed forward.

"My babies," Yuffie cried out as well and rushed forward to meet them with Vincent right behind her. Yuffie caught her children up in a big hug and kissed both of them on the forehead and cheeks. Vincent gave each a big hug as well and said, "I wasn't sure I would have the joy of seeing the two of you again. I am glad that I was wrong."

"Damn straight! Now all we need is that spiky headed punk, and Cait Sith and we're all here then," Barret said.

"Father don't be rude," Marlene chided.

"Sorry," he said.

Yuffie and the others didn't seem to notice his outburst though which he felt was good. He was glad that the kids were alright. He was glad also that they had finally be reunited with their parents. Children shouldn't be seperated from their parents like that. It was just wrong.

"It's so good to see the two of you safe and sound," Tifa said as she came forward and hugged them.

Everyone was talking and getting reacquainted except for Marlene who was hanging back a little. Joren noticed that and ran over to her. "Marlene I'm so glad to see you again. I wasn't sure that I was going to. I mean being a prisoner and all," Joren said as he gazed down at his feet a bit nervous to see her again.

She looked at him and tears welled in her eyes. They had never told anyone but they had been dating for a short time before he had been taken. She had kept her sadness in check but now that he was standing in front of her she just couldn't hold the tears back anymore. They started to fall and she threw her arms around him and kissed him in front of everyone not caring what they saw or thought. "I'm so happy now," she cried into his shoulder.

They were all stunned at that outburst but no more so than Barret himself. "Wha . . ." was all that he could utter.

"You two," Yuffie asked and then smiled happily. "I'm so happy. My boy has found himself a good girl."  
"Indeed he made a very good choice didn't he," Vincent said as he put his shoulder around his daughter.

Marlene and Joren smiled at everyone until they saw the look on Tifa's face. Her smile had slowly disappeared and then faded completely from her face. "What's wrong Tifa," Cassandra asked who was also happy. She had gotten caught up in the mood.

"It's just that I remember what we were told don't you? Yuffie will get to see her children again when Cloud shows up alone and gives himself up. What's that mean then that we get to see Sky and Joren now," Tifa said her voice soft and distant.

"Oh god you don't think he did do you?" Yuffie asked as her hand flew to her face.

Sky looked at her mother and her face fell. "Mother we were told that Cloud had been captured and that was why we were coming here to be with you. We saw someone being chained down on out way here."

"Damn!" Barret yelled.

"We may all be in more danger than we had previously thought my friends. With Cloud now captured there is no need of us. They may try to kill us all now," Red said from where he sat next to Cid.

Three days had passed since Cloud had given himself up and he knew that it as time for him to fight back. He lifted his head from his blood slicked chest and looked at the smiling face of his torturer. It was hard to see thanks to the blood flowing into his eyes but Cloud was used to that. The man had a smug look on his face as if to say I get to torture the world's greatest hero.

"You enjoying yourself," Cloud spat out as he tested the chains. They were good chains and strong. Cloud though felt that the wall wasn't so strong. The building that he was in was very old and the mortar would be weak.

"Yes I am Cloud Strife. I am enjoying myself immensely. Never had I thought that I would be allowed to hurt you as you hurt me," the man said and laughed. He is crazy thought Cloud.

"What did I do to hurt you?" Cloud asked.

"Of course you wouldn't remember killing my father. He was just another member of Soldier at the time. You had killed him in Midgar city when Avalanche was fighting Shinra," the man answered.

"Sorry kid but war is war, and life is life. I wasn't going to just curl up in a ball and let someone kill me. That isn't me," Cloud stated as he flexed his muscles to get them loose.

"You're not sorry Cloud. I'm just going to get you to say it though in pain. Few things mean as much to me," the man said as he started forward.

"Didn't you just hear me? I said I won't lie down and die for anyone, especially someone who is crazy like Soren," Cloud said as he jerked his arms forward and they hit the end of the chain and he felt the manacles cut into his flesh. Nothing happened though and Cloud knew then that he was in trouble. The man smiled again and doused Cloud with a bucket of water.

"Now you will know pain," the man said as he brought jumper cables forward and touched them together. Cloud saw the sparks and chuckled.

"I have felt worse kid," Cloud said as the man stuck the ends onto Cloud's chest.

Cloud felt his skin start to sizzle from the high voltage and then he could smell the burned flesh. His muscles started to contract and he arched his back in pain.

"That's right Cloud the pain is just starting," the man said as he sliced Cloud's chest in a few places. The blood started to flow then and Cloud tried all the harder to keep from screaming in pain.

The man then went over and pulled out a snake. "This snake's poison is very bad Cloud. It won't kill you but it will start to rot your flesh," the man chuckled as he brought it closer.

"I don't think so," Cloud growled through gritted teeth but the snake bit into his arm.

The others were still in their room unable to do anything. They had tried to escape once and that had caused a repercussion. They had broken Barret's leg so that it would dissuade any other such ideas.

"I'm sorry Barret," Tifa said as she sat with her head on his shoulder.

"It's alright," he said and patted her head. "We will be fine. I'm sure of it."

"I wonder what they are waiting for. If they wanted us dead they would have killed us by now," Crystal said.

"I think that they want us for something," Cassandra said.

"That may be but they knew that we were going to try and escape," Yuffie said.

"Yes they did and they were ready for it. If only I could transform we could get out of here," Vincent said as he wrung his hands helpless.

"It's alright father," Joren said. "It's not your fault that we were captured. It's that we had never really had to fight."

"No son I should have been there to protect you," Vincent said.

"Honey stop that. We both know that neither of us could have stopped Soren. He is too good. We would have just been killed," Yuffie said.

"Mother we need to help Cloud don't we?" Sky asked.

"No we don't. We need to let him rot," Cid said as he puffed on his pipe.

Just as Sky opened her mouth to protest Cid they all heard a scream rip through the building. It held such pain and anguish that they all flinched. Tifa hugged herself, and Vincent closed his eyes. "Oh god is that Cloud?" Sky asked scared of the answer.

"I believe that it was, I truly do," Crystal said as tears came to her eyes and those of the other women there. Even Barret felt a lump is his throat at the thought of what that scream meant. What was worse was that they screaming continued for a very long time.

Two weeks had passed and Soren walked into the room where Cloud was still hanging. They had made sure that he was fed well and given plenty of liquids. Their duel was approaching and Soren wanted to make sure that Cloud was plenty strong when they healed him of his wounds.

Soren looked at Cloud then and shook his head in amazement. Cloud's chest was covered in cuts but none that were too deep. The skin on his chest was charred and burned and Cloud looked like he was mostly dead. Soren didn't care about that though as long as Cloud was alive.

"This is your last day of torture Cloud though it seems you are unconscious. Five days hence we have our duel. On the day of my father's death," Soren said as he walked from the room.

Cloud opened his eyes and a smile split his bloodied face. "I am thinking that our duel may be sooner than you think," Cloud whispered.

The man came back in and had a gleam in his eye. "Today is our last day together. I am thinking I shall submerge you in water and let the piranhas have at you. It would be a good way to end our time together," the man said happily.

Cloud had to admit that the man was good. He had made Cloud scream in pain which no one else had ever been able to do. His torture methods were unique and used things that inflicted the most bodily pain while doing the least amount of damage. He had lit Cloud on fire and then put him out. While the wounds covering his body were still fresh he had dumped alcohol on them. That had been too much with the electricity coursing through him. He had screamed that day long and loud.

Cloud rolled his eyes to gaze up at his chains and smiled to himself. He had been working on them now for two weeks and had weakened the metal immensely. In fact he was sure that he would be able to break it if he wanted. He was going to give the man a chance to help him though and by doing so redeem himself.

The man started forward and Cloud said, "Help me get free and I will let you live."

The man laughed then and looked Cloud right in the eyes. "I would never help you, you piece of shit! You ruined my life and now I get to ruin yours," the man growled and then spit in Cloud's face.

Cloud inhaled slowly and shook his head. "Then I am sorry. I may have ruined your life but you are keeping me from my promise. Our time as you said is up now. Though I ruined your life I am going to do something much worse now. I am going to end it!" Cloud said vehemently.

In that instant his arms flashed forward and as they hit their tether they snapped. Cloud's arms continued forward and he clamped his hands around the torturer's throat. "As I said you die now," Cloud said and crushed the man's throat and quickly broke his neck to make sure he was dead.

Cloud then searched the place and found the keys to his shackles which he used to unlock the chains from around his wrist. He dropped the chains onto the man at his feet then and stepped over the body to the table where some of the very same knives that had been used to torture him lay.

He picked up a few of them and placed some in his pants. He held two and then went to the door. He needed to find his things, and he knew that once he did he would be able to get his friends things as well.

He left the room and saw two guards coming towards his own room. He quickly ducked back inside and shut the door. Cloud placed his ear to the door and waited for the sounds of their footfalls to get closer. They did come closer and he heard their voices getting louder and louder. They neared his door and he gripped the knives harder waiting. He watched then as they passed his room by.

He let the men continue down past his room for perhaps ten steps when he stepped out behind them and his arms shot forward. The knives flew true taking the men in the back of the neck. Both dropped dead with no more sound than their bodies hitting the floor. "I"ll have to remember to thank Yuffie for teaching me how to properly throw a knife," Cloud said as he moved to them and picked up one of the guns. It had been awhile since he had used one but he figured it would all come back shortly.

He moved then from room to room looking for his belongings. The first door he came to he opened and found a man sleeping on a cot. Cloud moved forward silent and broke the man's neck killing him without any sound as well. He didn't want them all knowing he was free, at least not yet.

He moved from room to room killing as he went, until finally he came to the room he was searching for. He opened the door and saw his and everyone else's equipment. There were five men in the room though and one of them was playing with Cloud's sword acting like a fool. "Look at me I'm the great Cloud," he said mockingly and laughed with his friends.

They were all stupid and hadn't even noticed Cloud in the room. "No you are not Cloud. That would be me," Cloud said coldly. The men turned around quickly none of them believing their eyes. Cloud was standing there. He should have been in the torture room but he wasn't, he was here with them.

They all reached for their guns since none of them had thought to hold onto theirs. They had all leaned them against something. As they moved though Cloud reacted and none of them ever got the chance to even grip their guns. They all died and Cloud dropped the gun. "Fools," Cloud whispered as he stepped over one of their bodies.

He grabbed his bracer and put it on. He then reached down and picked up his sword. He looked at it almost lovingly as he ran his hand down it's length to re-familiarize himself with the blade. "You and I my friend, will never be apart for too long shall we."

He then put on his magnet and sheathed the blade on his back. He then grabbed a backpack and threw everyone's equipment in the bag. The materia he threw in the bag as well and after he had everything stuffed in the bag he threw it over his shoulder. Lastly he reached over and picked up the blade he had retrieved from the mountain. As his hand closed over the hilt he felt coldness creep into his hand. "Yes I know you and I have a destiny to fulfill," Cloud said as the coldness left his hand then.

"Now it is time I freed my friends and kept my promise to Yuffie," Cloud said as he stepped out of the room into a hallway filled with men. None of them had a gun, in fact they all had clubs. He knew then that they had been given orders to take him alive. There were enough of them though that they might just accomplish it.

"Stop where you are Cloud and we won't have to hurt you," one of the men yelled who looked like the leader.

Cloud dropped the bag to the floor and was watching his own feet while the man spoke. When the man finished Cloud slowly lifted his gaze to look at all of them. "You are all going to die," Cloud hissed and charged forward with his blade drawn.

He waded into the men swinging his new blade effortlessly. With every swing men died and in moments Cloud was covered in blood. The men swung their clubs but most blows didn't even come close. They were too scared of the man in front of them to actually concentrate on what they were doing. He cut them down one by one though with no mercy.

One man landed a solid blow to Cloud's head but it didn't even faze Cloud. The club had split the skin and blood flowed down the center of Cloud's face but he swung his blade slicing the man in two. In no time at all they were all dead and the hall was littered with their bodies and their limbs.

Cloud was breathing heavy when he picked up the bag and found one of the men still alive. It was a man who had cowered hoping Cloud would forget about him. Cloud grabbed the man's chin and turned his head to gaze at Cloud. "Where are my friends and the boy and girl."

"T. . . T. . . Th. . . they are down the hall at the end. There will be a d. . . door. Go through it and go to the end of the hall. They are in that room," The man stammered as tears ran down his face.

"If you want to live leave this building now. Anyone in this building once my friends are free will be my enemy and hence will be dead," Cloud said his voice dead and cold.

The man stood up and ran away from Cloud as fast as his feet would carry him. Cloud then walked down the hall and felt the blood start to flow. In the battle he had torn all of the cuts open and his chest was in tatters. It looked as if a dog had used it for a chew toy.

He then heard steps approaching from behind him and he turned to see the hall fill with men again. This time he guessed there were maybe twenty men. They all had swords though and he knew that these men didn't care if he died. Cloud dropped the bag and looked at them. "Tell me," Cloud said.

"Tell you what," one of the men yelled back at Cloud.

"Tell me what it feels like to know that you are dead."

The man wasn't sure how to react to that. He was being paid well to fight for Soren but he wondered if Cloud was serious. He had a wife and daughter, and they were the reason he was here now. He wanted them to have a great life. He didn't want them to live in squalor. He loved them with all his heart but he had a job to do and if he didn't do it then he would be killed by Soren. He had seen Soren kill men for less than not doing their job so he swallowed hard and gazed at Cloud for a moment.

The man rushed forward forgetting Cloud's remark and tried to bring his sword down in a slash. He couldn't find the strength to though and then he fell to his knees and skidded on the slick floor. He looked down to see a knife protruding from his chest, and his last thought was that he would never get to see his daughter again. He would never get to hold her and tell her that he loved her ever again. Darkness closed in around him and tears streamed down his face as he mouthed "I love you Lisa." That was when he died the breath leaving his lungs for the last time.

The other men charged then and Cloud rushed forward with blinding speed. Cloud swung his blade killing men and then he parried slash after slash but he couldn't block them all. He felt the blades bite into his flesh many times but he ignored the cuts and stabs. His goal was set in his mind and nothing was going to keep him from it. He was going to kill all these men and get to his friends. He growled and shoved all the men back from him, and charged into their midst again.

Tifa heard the footsteps approaching and she signaled to the others. They had all decided that they couldn't just sit here anymore. They needed to get out and help Cloud. He needed their help and they couldn't fail him, not now.

The door opened and Tifa kicked forward from where she was hidden next to the door. Her foot connected with someone's hand she knew because she felt the fingers close over her ankle. She heard the sharp intakes of breath from her friends and then she heard a voice that she hadn't thought to hear. "You know that is not the greeting I was expecting," Cloud said as he dropped her foot and stepped into the room quickly shutting the door behind him.

"Cloud!" everyone exclaimed but none moved forward to embrace him. He knew why though.

Yuffie turned her gaze away from Cloud as he stepped into the room. She had never seen anyone so horribly mutaliated and still alive. His chest was covered in cuts as was his legs and arms. He was nothing more than a giant wound and he was covered in blood from head to toe. He looked like a demon she thought and she wasn't the only one either she could tell. There wasn't really any of them that could actually look at him. They couldn't bear to see their friend like that.

"Cloud my god," Tifa said as her hand covered her mouth. She heard sobbing from somewhere and wasn't sure who would be crying though she herself felt like crying at the sight of Cloud.

"Damn kid," Barret said because it was all he could say. He choked back the tears that had started to gather. He had always known Cloud was tough but to see Cloud now made him wonder. Just what could keep a man going when he was wounded so badly.

Cloud looked them all over and saw two people that he didn't recognize. One was a young man and the other a beautiful young girl. He guessed them to be Yuffie's children and if they were he was glad. He wouldn't have to hunt them down now. Everyone was together and therefore could escape together.

"We don't have time for a gathering. You all need to get out of here," Cloud said his voice hard and commanding, the voice that they were all used to. He tossed a bag down on the floor. "Take your weapons and prepare yourselves for battle."

"Cloud are. . . are you alright," Red stammered.

"I am fine Red and it is good to see you alive and well," Cloud stated.

"Are you sure you are alright," Vincent said as he pulled his guns from the bag and placed the clips in his belt. The others had been getting their weapons as well and they all looked at Cloud with doubt in their eyes.

"I will be fine once Soren is dead and my promise is fulfilled. It isn't completed yet," Cloud said and nearly fell forward. He would have if he hadn't caught himself with his blade.

Tifa rushed forward to his side and cast Cure spells on him. Slowly his wounds started to close. The worst ones first then the others. Cloud stood there then his breathing even and the blood slowly dripping onto the floor at his feet.

"Cloud," Tifa started hesitantly.

He turned his gaze to her and the look in his eyes made her bite back what she was going to say. It was as if he was no longer the Cloud she remembered and in truth she wasn't so sure that he was. She wondered if it was her fault for turning him into the killer she saw before her.

"Cloud we can all leave together. My children are right here. They are your promise Cloud. You said you would save them and so you have. Now we can all leave together as we should have came in here," Yuffie said with a smile on her face. A smile Cloud didn't return, a smile that he couldn't return.

"No you all need to leave, and leave me here. I have to kill Soren or he will continue to come after all of you until I fight him. He wants me dead Yuffie and nothing will stop him," Cloud said and strode from the room into the hallway that was littered with bodies. He never looked back as he took off at a jog searching for Soren. The others watched him go and they wondered if they should help. They wondered if they didn't help if they would ever see him again. They wondered about many things as they looked down the hallway and saw the bodies of too many men. All those bodies had once been living breathing people and Cloud had killed. He had killed them all and now he was hunting for at least one more.


End file.
